


Ascension of Witches

by Jpnh



Category: Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy VIII
Genre: Gen, Minor Quistis Trepe/Nida, Minor Quistis Trepe/Seifer Almasy - Freeform, Minor Quistis Trepe/Squall Leonhart, Minor Rinoa Heartilly/Seifer Almasy, Minor Rinoa Heartilly/Squall Leonhart, Minor Selphie Tilmitt/Irvine Kinneas, Original Character(s), Rinoa Is Ultimecia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:54:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 86,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26043817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jpnh/pseuds/Jpnh
Summary: Twenty years after the defeat of Ultimecia, Nexi, Atrop, and Fable are about to become SeeDs, following in the footsteps of their adoptive parents Squall and Rinoa. But they soon discover that not everyone is comfortable with the state of the world, particularly in their feelings toward Rinoa: the last known Sorceress.
Comments: 8
Kudos: 2
Collections: Island Closest to Hell





	1. Prologue: Premonition

**Author's Note:**

> This is a work of derivative fan art, set in the world of Final Fantasy 8 (FF8) owned by Square Enix and stars many of its characters. I do not own the rights to FF8 nor have any fiduciary stake in Square Enix.
> 
> The following are original characters that I have created and inserted into the FF8 universe: Nexi, Atrop, Fable, Jason, Argus, Chad, Beau, Abby, Fan, Ames.
> 
> The character Faros has a name I created, but he exists in FF8 as the unnamed "white seed leader".
> 
> The text quoted from "Tales of the Great Hyne" in the Chapter "The Mission" is copied verbatim from FF8, except for minor edits for clarity.
> 
> There's some character dialog quoted verbatim from FF8 in the chapters "Thr Lost Children" and "The Ascension", but I won't cite it specifically to avoid spoilers!
> 
> This work is intended for fan and general audiences, i.e. those who have never played FF8. Therefore you will see more description of things that other fan works assume the reader already knows. If you have played FF8 before I hope these descriptions invoke nostalgia instead of boredom; let me know in the comments.

_Wake up from your sleep, my children  
Your childhood years are gone  
Wake from your sleep, Fated Children  
Your slumber is over_

_  
Arise  
Discover  
Come to the Garden of Truth  
The Spring of the Garden of Truth_

_  
With the Fiery Truth  
Burn away the Evils of the World  
With the Fiery Truth  
Light the Darkness of the World _

_Farewell, Children  
Until the day of fate _

  * English lyrics to _Liberi Fatali._  
  
Retrieved Aug 21, 2020 from finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Liberi_Fatali



The moon was red with twilight, gracing a quarter of the sky as it rose over the port city of Dollet. Many people had enjoyed the pleasant summer day at the beachfront, or window shopping the boutiques near the central square. As night fell, they could still be seen walking the cobblestone streets in the light of gas lamps, eager for the cafes and pubs to open their doors to the evening rush.

But not all of the people were in Dollet for relaxation. Near the top of the city’s sloping hill was a large, historic hotel with lofty round turrets, gray stone parapets, and iron-framed windows. Inside, dignitaries from neighboring states were holding a peace conference, eager to bring an end to a decades-old war.

Under the main archway of this hotel stood one of the dignitaries: Squall Leonhart, headmaster of Balamb Garden and leader of SeeD, Garden’s elite mercenary force. He was tall and silent in the twilight, his wavy brown hair beginning to gray. He wore the charcoal uniform of SeeDs, the gold and silver embroidery glittering on his shoulders. He still bore his trademark scar – a fine cut from his left cheek, up across the bridge of his nose to his forehead – earned while training against his rival so many years ago.

The conference was long and demanding, and Squall was exhausted; he wanted to return to his room and escape from people for a while. But the meeting he was heading to now was not one he would skip.

He drew a deep breath of ocean air and walked across to the other wing of the hotel. He went straight into the lobby through large wooden doors, open to the fresh breeze. A bellhop in a maroon suit came to attention and saluted. Squall returned the young man's salute, gave a curt nod to the desk receptionist, then proceeded up the stairs. He walked down a lofty, narrow hallway, past billiard rooms and spacious apartments, until he came to a corner study. Squall knocked quietly on the heavy door, and a familiar voice welcomed him in.

The study was dimly lit by a narrow window, a small iron chandelier, and a lowly fireplace between tall bookshelves. A round wooden table was in the center, and seated at this table were two men whom Squall intimately knew: Cid Kramer, Squall's predecessor as Balamb Garden’s headmaster, and General Caraway of Galbadia, leader of the Galbadian Democratic Forces, and Squall’s father-in-law.

Squall closed the door to the study and bowed respectfully to his former superiors and mentors.

“Headmaster Cid, General Caraway, it's a pleasure to see you again.”

The old gentlemen rose, their smiles revealing their heart-felt pride in their protégé. “It’s been too long, Squall,” replied Cid. “Please, have a seat.”

Squall sat at the table. There was a brief but noticeable silence as the pleasantries quickly faded from the faces of the old men. Cid stared for a second at the closed cover of his pocket watch, his keen blue eyes unfocused behind his spectacles, before returning the watch to his vest. Caraway shuffled uncomfortably in his chair, the many military decorations jingling on his long black uniform. So, Squall thought, this is going to be more than just a meeting of friends.

Cid was the first to breach the silence. “Squall, we would like to talk to you about Rinoa.”

Squall frowned silently. Cid and Caraway were watching him intently.

“What about Rinoa, sir?” Squall asked, working hard to keep the defensiveness from rising in his voice.

Caraway spoke next, his eyes never leaving Squall. “The Galbadian reunification has been a long and bitter conflict. This peace conference wouldn’t even be possible were it not for Rinoa at the assault on Timber. Undoubtedly her swift and decisive action saved countless lives, and we are immensely grateful for that. But she also…”

Caraway paused, gesturing to Cid to continue. “But she also showed the world some extent of her powers. Powers which, evidently, have grown much stronger since the Lunar Cry.”

Squall’s frown deepened. He often had to deflect this kind of conversation about his wife, but hearing it come from these two men, who had previously shown complete confidence in him and Rinoa, was unnerving.

Squall again noticed the intense looks from the retired headmaster and the general as they studied him. They were testing him, seeing how he would react to this conversation. But why?

Rinoa is a Sorceress, and people hadn’t easily forgotten the destruction caused by Sorceress Edea, driving Galbadia’s military to slaughter SeeDs and anyone else who opposed her. Nor had they forgotten the long Sorceress War before that, when it was Adel of Esthar who had terrorized the world.

It seemed to be a casually ignored fact that it was not Edea but Ultimecia, the dreaded Sorceress from the future, who had possessed Edea from across the gulf of time to commit her horrible atrocities. Edea herself, Squall knew, was living a life of seclusion far from the public, with no one but Cid, now seated across from him, to comfort her in isolation.

Was that what these men wanted from him? To move Rinoa away to some secluded beach house like Edea so that she could threaten no one, sentenced to a life of self-imposed exile?

Or worse, do they intend to compel her? To freeze her body like Adel at Esthar’s Sorceress Memorial so that her powers would be safely and securely locked away?

Squall couldn't hide his surprise at the thought and looked directly to General Caraway. Rinoa is his daughter. Can he really feel this way about his only child, his only living family?

“Sir, you don’t really mean to…”

Caraway waved off the rest of the question. “Squall, no. It’s not like that.” He heaved a great sigh. Squall long knew that Caraway’s fraught relationship with Rinoa had always been the heaviest weight on this great man’s mind, a man who otherwise controls the fate of nations. He waited patiently for him to continue.

“I know Rinoa barely acknowledges me. For my part, I still feel as strongly for her as when she was a girl on my knees, and nothing makes me feel more at peace than knowing she has you to rely on.” The general slowly shook his head. “But if she were to slip, to fall down the paths of Edea or Adel… I don’t think I could bear to witness that.”

“Squall," Cid interjected, "I know _exactly_ how you feel. My world was a living hell when Edea, the love of my life, murdered countless people before the world’s very eyes. It was hell even before then, when we realized she would fall under Ultimecia’s control. That’s when we founded SeeD, an organization with a mission to _kill my wife_ should the unthinkable occur.”

He leaned in closer. “SeeD’s mission hasn’t ended, Squall. You traveled to the future and defeated Ultimecia, but between now and that future we know next to nothing. We don’t know who Ultimecia is, we don’t know when she will rise, and most importantly, _we don’t know when she’ll strike again_. Rinoa is still in danger, Squall. You are the only one who can protect her, and protect the world from her. Do you understand?”

Squall locked eyes with Cid. _And protect the world from her_. So that was it, Squall thought. Cid wanted to know if he could count on him to restrain Rinoa. To even kill her, if necessary, if Ultimecia should return and possess her again.

Squall let his eyes drop from Cid and nodded. “I understand, headmaster.” He took a breath, then looked at the two men with a soft smile. “Thank you for sharing your feelings with me, gentlemen. I hope you'll excuse me, I must prepare myself for the rest of the conference.”

His less combative manner relaxed both men a little, but Squall noted that it wasn't by much. They wanted to trust him, he thought, but he hadn't convinced them that they could _._

All three men stood. “Of course, Squall,” replied Cid, an insincere smile stretched thinly across his face. “We'll see you at tomorrow’s negotiations.”

Squall bowed and left the room. He stood for a moment outside of the closed door, his face clouded. He was thinking about the flower field by the old orphanage, where so many years ago he and Rinoa had promised to meet if they were ever separated. Where, also, he had sworn to be her knight, and even if the whole world turned against her, he would stay by her side.

But then his thoughts wandered to when, after he had slayed Ultimecia, he struggled to return from the future. When stumbling through the wastes and desolation of time, he had seen horrific visions of Rinoa and Ultimecia – the angelic face of his dear Rinoa, and the seductive, beastial image of Ultimecia, flickering and blurring together until they were almost one.

 _Squall’s sword will pierce my heart,_ Rinoa had said amongst the flowers. _I guess it’s okay if it’s you, Squall. Nobody else._


	2. I. Exam Prep

It was early morning at Balamb Garden. Groundskeepers were cleaning the wide tiled path inside the school's great atrium. The path circled a large central pillar which climbed several stories before meeting a domed glass roof. From the roof and down the sides, sloping away like the inside of a giant bell, were balconies filled with classrooms and study halls. Students were making their way to various wings that branched like spokes from the pillar. They walked from the dormitory to the cafeteria, or perhaps to the library or training center for a head start on their studies.

Three students in particular were hurrying out of the dorm.

"Come _on_ , Atrop!"

Atrop had stopped to fix the buttons on the blue cadet uniform they all wore, his cheeks red and his forehead glistening. He was a tall young man, who had grown taller without gaining bulk but was now just beginning to add muscle with manhood.

"You're kidding me, Fable! I can't go to Squall and Rinoa looking like _this._ "

Not that Fable had heard a word he said. She had already run ahead and bent around the pillar, the echo of her footsteps lost in the sound of the many fountains lining the way.

Nexi, however, stopped to smile teasingly at Atrop. She was a moderate height, maybe a head or two shorter than the tall Atrop. Unlike the other girl cadets who wore skirts for their uniform, Nexi preferred pants. She was thin, and she kept her fine black hair in a short ponytail with two long hairpins. A beautiful young woman, adults would often call her.

"Better hurry Atrop, or Fable will eat your breakfast again."

"Heh," Atrop grunted as he struggled with his last button, "and it'll probably give her another stomach ache in training." Atrop checked his reflection in the blue pool circling the pillar, fixing a strand of blonde hair that had fallen from his comb-over. "Okay, let's catch up."

Nexi and Atrop ran around the bend and up the stairs that arched over the pool. Fable, it seemed, was stuck at the elevator in the pillar, hammering the UP button. Her lightly freckled face was scrunched in frustration, her strawberry blonde pigtails shaking with the agitated button mashing. When she saw Nexi and Atrop already on the landing, she threw her hands up and gave up on the button. She was a year younger than Nexi and Atrop, though Nexi often thought she acted much younger than that.

The elevator doors opened and the trio entered. Fable went straight to the console and pressed the button for the top floor -- the headmaster's office.

The elevator exited to a wide open room. The tall windows behind the broad mahogany desk let in the morning sun and a spectacular view of Balamb Island -- wide green fields and steep brown hills, meeting the sandy beach of a gentle coast. Through a door to the left was the dining room where Squall and Rinoa were already seated, the morning light diffracting off the crystal glasses and porcelain dining set. The students hurried forward into the room and stood to attention.

"Good morning, Headmaster! Good morning, ma'am!" they said in unison. They saluted in SeeD fashion -- their right hands held straight up in front of their right eyes, the backs of their hands facing outward.

Rinoa's beauty was utterly unchanged over the years. Her long black hair draped down onto her shoulders, over an ivory dress matching perfectly with her string of white pearls. She stood and curtsied gracefully, but snuck in a playful wink. Squall, in uniform, rose and returned the salute. "Good morning, cadets." His face was serious, but a thin smile melted through. The cadets fell at ease, beaming with admiration. Squall gestured to the table, filled with breakfast. "Have a seat and tell us about your week."

The teens came quickly and sat down. Rinoa swelled with pride -- it was unbelievable to see them all grown up. Soon, after their upcoming exam, they would be SeeDs, and then they would be out of the nest -- fighting for the ideals she and Squall had worked so hard to instill in them.

They were not her biological children. Dr. Odine had said it was nearly impossible for a Sorceress to have children of her own. But they weren't sad for long when they thought about how Squall himself had been an orphan, how Edea and Cid had adopted him and their friends to blossom in the Garden. Couldn't they carry on the tradition?

And so they did, adopting these three dear ones from a Galbadian orphanage. All of them had lost their families in the unrest following Galbadia's collapse. Unrest that, hopefully, would be ending within the next few weeks. 

The teens were already working through large helpings, Fable quite ravenously. "You'd think we starve them, Squall," Rinoa said with a toying smile.

Fable finished swallowing a big bite. "Zell said the hotdogs are really good in the cafeteria, but they're awful."

"I remember they were good in our day," said Squall. "Maybe I'll ask Xu to look into it."

Atrop choked back his surprise. "No, please! She'd be furious with us if we asked that!"

"He's kidding, Atrop," Nexi said as she rolled her eyes at him. "He's not going to make the deputy headmaster solve a hotdog problem."

Squall smiled. Nexi, more than any of the three, understood him well. Maybe because, outside of familiar company, she was an introvert like himself. But she was luckier than he was. He grew up lonely, abandoned; Nexi always had Atrop and Fable to give her comfort and companionship. The inward personality that had socially crippled him was for her a tool of reflection, of introspection and self-assessment -- an asset to her intellect rather than a barrier. Squall had no doubt Nexi would one day surpass him in her endeavors.

He lightly dabbed his mouth with a napkin and returned it to his lap. "Your field exam is tomorrow. Do any of you have questions I can answer?"

Nexi stared down at her plate to choose her words. "Sir, why have we taken sides? I mean, we're mercenaries, right? Don't we negotiate our services with whoever requests them?"

"We're not just mercenaries, Nexi," answered Squall. "We turn down lots of contracts, even lucrative ones. Our most important criteria is whether the cause is something we believe in."

"But how can we believe in something that isn't even ours?"

"The ability to empathize with our clients, to fight for their cause as hard as they would, is exactly what puts us above the common soldier of fortune." Squall took a sip of water before continuing. "What do you know about Galbadia twenty years ago?"

"Sorceress Edea ruled it, right?" volunteered Atrop.

"And you and Rinoa stopped her!" piped Fable.

Squall nodded. “And how was Galbadia governed before then?" he continued.

"President Deling," answered Nexi. "He was a dictator."

"Why do you say that?" asked Squall. "A president is elected to his role."

"But Deling made himself a lifelong president. He leveraged his popularity from the first Sorceress War to give himself complete authority, then relied on fear to enforce his rules. That's why he was a dictator."

"That's very astute, Nexi," said Squall. He paused another brief moment, making sure that this lesson, like all the others he gave these children, would sink in. "For decades, Galbadia had been ruled by one dictator in Deling, and then another in Edea. When she fell, there was no one to take her place, and there was no system to choose a new ruler. Powerful men in Galbadia, left unchecked by fear and submission, decided to claim rule for themselves. The military splintered into factions to support one or another of these warlords, and that brought us to today.

"And it isn't just warlords fighting. Many of the outer regions of Galbadia have long hosted resistance groups." Squall gave Rinoa a knowing glance. "Under Deling and Edea, these groups could only harry Galbadian forces, striking quickly and disappearing to avoid capture. But after Edea fell, they became more emboldened."

Rinoa, feeling the fond wave of nostalgia Squall had triggered, shared more. "Timber, the city we're fighting for, has always been at the front of Galbadian resistance. In _fact_ ," Rinoa mused, "if you win, I might have to release a certain headmaster from his contract."

"I hope you don't mean my marriage contract," grinned Squall. The teens looked at each other confused as both Rinoa and Squall chuckled at their inner joke. "My first SeeD mission," explained Squall, "was supporting Rinoa and her resistance group, the Forest Owls. The contract said it wouldn't expire until Timber achieved independence. That hasn't happened since. But it can, now."

Squall returned his gaze to Nexi, more seriously now. "Winning this battle will mean so much more. If we had signed with any of the warlords, who only want to become the next dictator, it would mean the war would continue. But if we win tomorrow, it means independence for Timber. It means Galbadia will be democratic -- represented, not ruled -- and it means peace and stability for the entire continent. If you fight for something you believe in, you will be stronger, fiercer and more confident of victory than any simple mercenary. Do you understand?"

Nexi looked at Atrop and Fable and saw them looking back at her with the same confidence, the same sureness she now felt in the purpose of their mission. She smiled and nodded. "I do, sir."

"Then I'm not afraid for any of you. You'll do wonderful." Squall rose, and so did the cadets. "Rest yourselves. You will have a long day tomorrow."

"Good luck!" Rinoa hugged and kissed each of them. Atrop blushed, unable to completely hide his reaction to being kissed by such a beautiful woman, even if she was his adopted mother. "You make us so proud."

* * *

The kids had gone back down to their classes, and Rinoa went back to their quarters to relax before meeting some donors. Xu was now working with Squall, seated in a small conference room that branched off the headmaster's office as they went over Garden business.

"Alright," said Squall. "Let's review the Timber plan."

"Yes sir, one second." Xu took control of the holographic display, riffling through the virtual documents to bring up the charts of Timber. 

Xu had been a SeeD even longer than Squall. In fact, Squall's own exam was one of the first she ever operated. He once asked her why she never sought the headmaster position, her answer simply, "Too much bullshit." She wasn't wrong. Squall was lucky he had Rinoa to handle most of the small talk -- all the fancy dinners and political intrigues with donors that kept the gil flowing. He was lucky he had Xu too, who handled much of the administrative duties in addition to all the operations work that gave SeeD its first class reputation.

Xu always came to his office in SeeD uniform -- identical to Squall's dark gray but with a knee length skirt. In fact, Squall couldn't recall a time when Xu was without her uniform. Her chestnut hair was the same shoulder length as when she oversaw Squall's exam, but now with long, silver sideburns combed behind her ears. Once, when Xu joined them for dinner, Atrop thought he was saying a fine thing when he complimented her dyed sideburns. "Young man," she said pointedly, "That's the only part of my hair that _isn't_ dyed." Atrop blushed as the table erupted with laughter, and from then on he'd always been very careful when commenting on a woman's appearance.

Yes, Squall thought, they were all starting to look older. Except Rinoa.

"Here we are." Xu brought up a display of Timber, marked up with projected positions and unit composition.

"The Deling Coalition and the Galbadian Hegemony have merged the remainder of their forces. They've committed them to securing Timber as their de facto capital." Xu zoomed out the map to show more of the surrounding region. "Our allies, the Galbadian Democratic Forces and SeeD from Galbadia Garden, are preparing to heavily engage the enemy west of Timber. General Caraway is leading the Galbadian forces, and Quistis is commanding the SeeD units. Nida is running exam operations for Galbadian SeeD candidates."

Squall nodded. Quistis Trepe, Squall's former instructor, became Galbadia's headmaster not long after Squall earned his post. Nida was a graduate of Squall's class; he was recruited by Quistis after she got her own position.

"The engagement should draw off much of the main enemy force from the city," continued Xu. "The enemy has fortified the coastline to the east, so we will have to land beyond the northern end of the forest. We'll use armored personnel carriers to transport our forces along the rail lines south, through the forest. While we're advancing, the Timberwolves will rally the other resistance factions to conduct urban guerilla strikes. This should put the garrisons in disarray and make it easy for us to secure the city. We'll reinforce the resistance and prevent any enemy incursion."

"Good," said Squall. "How about logistics?"

"We expect the enemy will have disabled the rail system outside of their territory, so we'll need to rely on the APCs to maintain supplies."

Squall frowned. "That seems pretty vulnerable, and it's our only line of retreat."

Xu nodded. "The forest should help screen us and we'll have Obel lake protecting our flank, but when the enemy realizes they lost the city, they will likely enter the forest to sever our supply line. We'll have to split our force -- some to take and hold Timber, the others to defend the forest."

"Where will the kids be?"

"Atrop and Fable I'm posting with Zell in the city. There are few unknowns in that part of the campaign -- I'm sure they'll manage."

"And Nexi?"

"She'll be on forest defense." Xu looked to Squall reassuringly. "I'm commanding that force personally, Squall. I know it'll be intense, but I wouldn't place her there if I didn't think she could handle it. I won't let anything happen to her."

"Okay," Squall assented. He leaned back and took a deep breath. Zell would be fine as commander of the city force. It fit well with his usual request, "Just tell me who to punch." And Xu was right: holding the city would be the easy part. Many of the enemy would be diverted to the battle with Quistis and Caraway, Balamb would have help from the local resistance, and it would be hard for the enemy to dislodge them once they were entrenched, as long as supplies held out.

The forest, however, was a critical life line for both halves of their force. It had to hold.

"What's your assessment, Xu?"

Xu swallowed and looked back to the display. "It's not ideal, sir. The enemy has a much larger force now that they've merged. They'll be strong enough to hit the forest hard, even when spread across these multiple fronts. And we won't have time to install proper defenses."

Xu steeled herself for a delicate question. "Sir, I want to ask: Do you think it's wise to bring Rinoa?"

Squall looked up surprised. "You don't think so?"

Xu gave a dismissive grin. "You know me well enough -- I trust her. I'm just worried about others in this theatre. Galbadians in particular aren't the most fond of sorcery."

"I understand that," said Squall. After a brief moment of contemplation he turned back to Xu. "Timber means a lot to Rinoa, and she wants to see it achieve independence. And if the battle will be as challenging as we're projecting, we may need her for backup."

"I can't disagree there, sir." Xu was silent for a while, then relaxed back in her seat and smiled up at Squall. "You're excited for them, aren't you?"

Squall's face lightened at the mention of the trio. "Xu, if you had told me twenty years ago what I would find most special..."

Xu laughed out loud. "You probably would have waved me off and told me it was none of my business." She sighed off the remainder of her laughter, but her smile remained, her cares temporarily forgotten. "They're the best class we've ever graduated, Squall. We'll pull through."

* * *

"Atenn-HUT!"

Zell Dincht's morning drill squad snapped to attention. He inspected the line of cadets, his spidery facial tattoo contrasting with his skin in the sunlight. His spiky hair's color was beginning to age from blonde to a steely white. Behind him stood one wall of the tall blue Garden building.

He moved to and fro among the cadets -- straightening a back here, a chin held higher there. The gravel of the quad beneath them alternated between sun and shadow as the Garden's massive white-gold halo rotated high above them.

Zell returned to the center of the squad. "AT Ease!"

The cadets widened their stance, relaxed their shoulders, and clasped their hands behind their backs. Zell began his lecture, pacing slowly, his athletic, muscular body still in top shape. "Tomorrow is your field exam! It will NOT be a cake walk! You MUST listen to your commanding officers. Advance when ordered to advance. WITHDRAW when ordered to withdraw! If you receive conflicting orders, what do you do, Ramirez?!"

The cadet snapped back to attention, his voice shaking a little. "The o-order to withdraw takes priority, sir!"

"That's right!" They're nervous, Zell saw. No kidding, either. This battle was the biggest the Garden had taken on in a while. Even he wasn't completely sure they'd come out on top. He knew he had to go easy on them, say something to take the edge off. 

"You've been training hard for years. I would've flunked you out by now if I didn't think you have what it takes. You have each other's backs. You'll be side by side with the best soldiers in the _world._ And after tomorrow, you'll be one of them! You'll go out there, and you'll come back _SeeDs_!"

"Hurrah for SeeD!" came a shout from behind him. He turned to see Fable in the line, blushing as a few cadets around her snickered.

"You said it, cadet!" Fable's embarrassed look melted into a grateful, toothy smile. Zell winked and turned back to face the squad. "Boats leave at 0800. Be at the dock fully equipped by 0730 _sharp_. DIS-missed!"

The students fell out and went their separate ways. Zell looked casually around and spied Atrop on a curb, fixing his pant cuffs. A couple of girls whispered and giggled nearby, casting obviously amorous glances at him. Atrop acted like he didn't notice, but Zell saw the tinge of color that came to his cheeks. The girls gathered up their things and headed off.

Zell walked up to Atrop. "Er…What was that?"

"Sir?" asked Atrop, quickly rising from the ground into a hasty salute, but his wide eyes and suddenly pale cheeks made him look like he was just caught with an embarrassing secret.

"Those _girls_ , kid. They were all over you and you didn't say a word!"

Atrop looked shyly away. "I… didn't know what to say, I guess."

Zell wondered incredulously, then shook his head and let it go. "You wanted to show me the new mods to your gun-arm?"

Atrop brightened like a light bulb. "Yes, sir! I have it in the armory." Atrop turned around and half-walked, half-skipped across the quad toward the atrium.

Zell muttered quietly as he followed after him. "You turn into putty around girls and perk up at tech talk… you're a goner, kid."

They headed through the atrium toward the training center. Near the end of the long hallway before the grounds was the door to the armory. It was a long, gray room, with walls and floors of concrete and regularly spaced steel columns, lit from above by rows of white fluorescent lights. One wall was lined with lockers, with benches and tables nearby to spread out equipment. Several cadets were cleaning, greasing, or testing out their weapons: swords with straight, single-edged blades; wavy-bladed kris; throwing knives and shurikens; long, keen dragoon lances. There were blunt instruments as well: warhammers with black steel heads; quarter staffs and metal-banded clubs; whips, nunchucks, and flails. On another wall was a long rack of handguns, rifles and shotguns with various attachments: bayonets; broad, curved axe-blades; even the occasional unloaded grenade launcher. An ammunition closet contained a huge assortment of darts and bullets, some glowing with obvious magical properties.

Atrop went straight to his locker and pulled out his pride and joy: a homemade, fully customizable gun-arm. After many long, patient, and occasionally obsessive hours in the junk shops, he had succeeded in modeling one after the kind that Galbadian elite soldiers used -- metal plating from the gauntlets all the way up to each shoulder, a fully integrated bionic interface, and a wrist-mounted submachine gun. But Atrop's model was much sleeker, fitting the curvature of his muscles, built from a lighter, chrome-like alloy for greater agility -- a work of art more than a killing machine.

Atrop slipped himself into the gun-arm and flexed both arms, the hydraulics compressing and releasing silently with almost organic ease. 

"Check this out, sir!"

Deeper in the armory was an open space with testing dummies. Atrop walked up to one and danced lightly in a boxing stance. The gun-arm gave his upper body a somewhat awkward, outsized appearance over his waist and legs, though its streamlined fit made him much less jarring to look at than the Galbadian elites. 

Atrop settled and exhaled calmly. Then suddenly, like lightning, his armored fist exploded forward. It burst the dummy into pieces, sending one part over a ceiling rafter and another rolling across the floor, wood shavings spilling along the path of destruction. The middle of the dummy simply vanished, vaporizing in a cloud of sawdust, accompanied by a sound like a thunderclap. 

Zell almost fell back as he shielded his face with his arm. "Woah!" he shouted angrily. "What're you doing with that thing indoors?! You need to be at the firing range, mister!"

Atrop could hardly suppress his glee. "Do you want to go there now? I can show you the micromissiles --"

"No! I believe you!" Zell huffed as he looked at the pulverized mess on the floor. _Holy smokes_ , he thought. "You're cleaning this up first, anyway."

"Yes, sir," Atrop said as he tried to swallow his excitement.

Zell wiped sweat away from his forehead. "It's got incredible power, but I still don't think you should give up on your hand-to-hand. What happens if the hydraulics fail? You'll be reduced to lugging around a clump of metal."

Atrop nodded, looking a little disheartened. "Yeah, I guess so…"

Zell slapped him on the back. "Kid, relax, it's awesome. I'm just saying you shouldn't keep all your chocobo eggs in one basket. Not to mention, the speed of that thing will probably rip your arms off. You should tick it down a notch or two if you still want to throw a ball when you retire." 

Zell walked over to the desk where the armory master usually sat. He opened one of the filing cabinets and pulled out a stack of old magazines. "Here, vintage _Combat King_ like I promised you. You'll beat the snot out of anyone with these moves."

Atrop looked at the faded cover on top of the stack. A shirtless martial arts master with a shaggy mop of black hair was standing over a wooden board, splitting it in two as he passed his head through it. Atrop slightly raised one eyebrow, appearing only mildly impressed, but he shrugged and took the collection. "Thank you, sir."

Zell shook his head and sighed. "Don't mention it." Kids were not the same these days. They relied too much on weapons and tech, not enough on the strength of their natural-born bodies.

Zell heard a loud _thunk_ from the other end of the armory, followed by some boys bursting with laughter. Almost before he could get out of the way, Fable blew past him toward the exit, pigtails trailing horizontally, her face red like a turnip with an angry glare in her eyes. She looked on the verge of tears.

Zell looked quizzingly at Atrop. "What's that all about?"

Atrop looked sorrowfully after Fable. "She's been trying to make friends, but she gets teased a lot. The guys usually make fun of her pigtails."

Zell turned back to the door, scratching his head. "What's wrong with pigtails?..."

* * *

"Tell me what happened, darling," Rinoa asked as she undid her adopted daughter's braids.

Fable gave an audible sigh of content as the tension in her hair, and in her heart, began to relax. She leaned against the back of Rinoa's vanity chair, snuggling herself into the beige cushions. This was her happy place, in her mother's dressing room, surrounded by all the soft cloths, silks, and furs. Dresses hung from hooks against floor-to-ceiling wall panels, the sheen of the dark cherry wood reflecting the warm ceiling lights installed above them. Each outfit was like a work of art on display, museum guests left wondering about the grace and beauty of the woman who wore them. The vanity desk was ornately carved, saturated with the same dark stain as the wall panels. An angelic glow emanated from a backlight behind the vanity, framing both the oval mirror and the girl it reflected in a soft halo.

Fable felt like an actress here. Or, maybe more accurately, a singer. In a small picture frame on the vanity was Rinoa's mother Julia, photographed in her wine red dress, her dark brunette hair draped elegantly behind her shoulders as she posed at a large grand piano. A recording of her signature single, _Eyes on Me_ , was playing from Rinoa's bedroom. Julia's sweet voice and the delicate notes of her piano serenaded through the open double doors. _I never sang my songs… on the stage, on my own…_

"Oh, I don't even know why I was so angry," began Fable as Rinoa brushed a comb through her loosened hair, her scalp feeling the soft tugging sensation like a head massage. "I saw Mable in the armory swinging a heavy ball at a dummy, and Maxim and Cable and all the other boys were looking all oggly at her. And I said, 'Hey, I can do that!' and grabbed mine. But there was this stupid pole behind me and I didn't see it and the chain wrapped around it and pulled me down. Then everyone started laughing at me and I ran away."

"But Fable sweetie, you only switched to the ball and chain a few weeks ago. Mable's been competing for medals with it." Rinoa held the small bun of hair that she had just formed while she inserted one of Fable's favorite bobby pins -- the pair with a white glass daffodil blossoming on each golden pin.

"Yeah, I know…" Fable closed her eyes for a minute, sighing with euphoria as Rinoa began combing again. "I just don't get why they don't want to be around me. The boys, I mean. I come and say hi all friendly-like and they look at me funny then I turn around for a second and they're gone!

"Boys at this age are pretty dumb, my love," Rinoa remarked as she finished combing out a few stray tangles. "Don't get me started on how dense Squall was." Rinoa used her fingers to check the length of Fable's hair, then reached for her shears to make a few light snips. "But don't be too upset about your weapons training. I think you've always been a natural with magic, anyway."

Fable's face wrinkled as she grumpily scrunched her cheeks. "But I'm still not as good as you!"

"You don't want to be like me, dear." Rinoa suddenly tensed, her eyes widening a little, staring strangely into a distance that wasn't there. But all Fable noticed of this behavior, if she noticed anything at all, was Rinoa briefly slowing in her work, her fingers and shears momentarily suspended as her will wavered.

The moment passed. Rinoa leaned forward and tilted the vanity mirror to cast a better light on Fable's face. "What do you think?"

Fable gasped, "I love it!"

Rinoa had kept her round bangs, but the pigtails were gone and replaced with two twin buns on either side near the back, the daffodil pins sparkling as Fable turned to see different angles. Her strawberry hair fell straight down from the buns with just a slight curl at the end, shimmering and flowing like a silky smooth curtain. A light application of makeup blended her freckles into her rosy cheeks.

"Hold on," said Rinoa. "Let me add one more touch." She opened one of the wall panels to reveal a tall armoire filled with all sorts of jewelry and accessories, some quite unique: an adamantoise shell bracelet; a fiery, phoenix pinion brooch; a pendant with a polished, glowing blue-green moon crystal. From one display, she selected a pair of pearl drop earrings, their shape almost like that of tears. They had once belonged to Julia. 

Rinoa brought the earrings to Fable and put them on. For once, Fable couldn't find words to say - she was simply entranced by her transformation. The boys would be begging for her now.

Rinoa smiled, satisfied with her work. "Don't wear them into combat, and do NOT show them to Nexi before I have a chance to give her her own present."

Fable had sprung out of the vanity chair and was now in front of the floor mirror, flipping her hair to different poses, her uniform skirt fluttering as she twirled around. "Okay, I promise I won't! I have to go now, bye!" And with that she spirited away, eager to test out her new look on the unsuspecting male student community.

On her way out, Fable left the dressing room doors open wide. More music flowed through into the room. _I kind of liked it your way...how you shyly placed your eyes on me...did you ever know that I had mine on you?_

Rinoa gazed after her, proud of her daughter, but curious about her own impulses. She didn't quite understand what inspired her to give Fable her mother's earrings now, instead of waiting for the graduation ball like she originally planned.

 _Because she needed them now_ , the answer came in her thoughts. _And you love indulging her._

Rinoa walked back to the vanity and began putting away the various instruments, sweeping up the occasional loose hair and powder. It felt like only yesterday that she and Squall had brought them home, little 5 and 6 year olds nervous about the sudden changes in their life. And now they were almost fully grown, taking more responsibility, becoming independent beings with their own ambitions. Soon, maybe, even they would have children of their own.

Rinoa froze. The shears she was about to put away fell from her hand, clattering loudly on the vanity's surface before landing on the carpeted floor. _Yes, and then they'll grow old and then they'll die and their children will grow old and then they'll die and you'll see it all and you'll have no one because you will live on and on and on…_

Rinoa felt the panic rise -- her breathing ragged, the pounding in her head narrowing her vision, her heart beating faster and harder until it felt like it would burst through her chest. She could no longer hear her mother's music, only a profound throbbing that silenced all other sounds. She stumbled toward the jewelry closet, trying to keep her balance on the walls and the vanity stool.

_And Squall will grow old and he'll die and he was your only hope and now you'll know nothing but loss forever and ever and ever…_

Rinoa reached the armoire and threw the earring display aside, violently scattering the beautiful pieces on the floor. She nearly ripped off the false panel in the back of the armoire that revealed another case, this one with 16 wildly unique rings. She grabbed one of them, any one, whichever she could reach first, and put it on her finger.

Something connected in her head. The panic subsided, and the nightmarish thoughts melted away into white bliss. She felt her pulse normalize, her vision clear. After a few moments catching her breath, she looked at the ring, studying it as if she was seeing it for the first time.

The Guardian Forces, as they were called, were supportive spirits that bestowed special powers on any being they were "junctioned" to. They were once standard issue to Balamb SeeDs, but their use wasn't without controversy. Further studies had indicated that when GFs were junctioned to a human, they merged into the cerebral cortex, causing chronic long-term memory loss. Even Squall and their friends had noticed the effect when they couldn't remember being at the same orphanage together. GFs were now prohibited for use except in extreme circumstances.

But for Rinoa, the GFs were therapeutic, somehow freeing her from the paralyzing terror of her thoughts. She examined the ring, noting its tarnished steel color, its somewhat bestial design, a dazzling ruby red stone set on the knuckle. A carbuncle. Yes, she remembered now, this GF was named Carbuncle. And if she summoned him he would come, a loyal little creature with a glowing squirrel-like form, a magnificent red jewel set like a third eye in his forehead, bringing his shining light to ward off the magic of her enemies. She looked at the other GFs -- their rings set with brilliant yellow topaz, sapphires, ambers and emeralds, all allies from her and Squall's former battles. Now they were helping her against her new foe -- the awesome Sorceress power rising within her, elongating her lifespan, determined to wrestle away her sanity.

Rinoa took one more deep breath. She could handle it, with Squall. He was her rock, her foundation grounding her to reality. But she couldn't bother him all the time with all his duties as headmaster. The GFs sufficed as a substitute, sometimes.

Rinoa turned to the scattered earrings and stooped to pick them up, no longer even considering how they fell in the first place.

* * *

"I'm not sure I understand, sir."

Nexi was dressed in fencing gear -- a double-breasted white jacket, tight fitting cloth pants, and comfortable sneakers. She stood on one end of a springy, tightly woven floor mat. On the far end of the mat was the dummy she was trying to strike with a new technique. So far, the dummy just stood there, taunting her with its clean, undamaged body.

Squall, also in fencing gear, walked across the dark hardwood floor to where Nexi stood on the mat. He gently took hold of her left arm and extended it straight out to her side, one of the two practice swords she held following the line of her arm. Nexi concentrated on keeping her core body straight, allowing Squall to manipulate her arms, doing her best to register every nuance of the form in which he was positioning her. He pressed on her lower back and upper chest to straighten her a little more, then stood back. Both her arms were now parallel to the floor, her right arm across her chest, both swords pointing away to her left.

Squall gestured to her to begin. Nexi slowly swung the swords across her body, first the right, then the left, until she was mirroring her starting pose. She reversed the motions and repeated, drawing the weapons back and forth, gradually increasing in speed and confidence, the two independent arm movements beginning to flow together as part of one stroke.

"Good," said Squall, as Nexi continued the exercise. "Your physical movements are a key part of this technique, but there is an equally important magical component. Magic is an exercise of the mind. Your creativity, your inspiration and imagination, draw magic from the environment around you, but then it's your will, your ambition and determination, that harnesses and projects it in the way you fashion it."

"But, isn't it the amplifiers that give us magic?" Nexi asked, stepping forward now with each stroke, bending her knees in wide lunges.

"Insofar as they connect our minds to the magic around us, yes."

"Except if you're a Sorceress," Nexi added. "Then you don't need an amplifier at all."

"...Yes, except if you are a Sorceress."

It had only been in recent history that non-Sorceresses discovered the technology to wield magic. The Guardian Forces were the first breakthrough. But more prevalent now, chiefly due to their relatively few side effects, were paramagic amplifiers -- small pieces of technology, usually installed in the handles of weapons, which enabled any regular human to conjure spells. If they knew what they were doing.

Nexi completed her last repetition and stood, stretching her torso to relieve tension. 

"Are you ready?" Squall asked.

Nexi nodded, moved back to the end of the mat, and turned to face today's nemesis -- the unsuspecting dummy on the far side of the room. Squall moved back a few paces.

Nexi swung her right sword up into a salute, her eyes focusing over the guard at the dummy. First, she needed to prepare her spell. She gave the sword hilt a particular squeeze, depressing a hidden switch to activate the paramagic. Greenish lights began to flicker and dance about the weapon, accompanied by a sound that she always thought was like a stiff breeze in tall grass and the clamor of silver wind chimes. She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing, slowing her pulse, letting her mind wander dreamily, almost whimsically. The lights began to move purposefully and flow into her body. She changed her thought pattern from a dreamlike state to one of intense concentration, focusing the magic, _willing_ it into the effect she desired.

Nexi opened her eyes. Her weapons swooped down to her sides as she dashed forward. After a few steps -- not even half the distance to the dummy -- she leapt into the air, pirouetting up toward the vaulted ceiling, sword arms snug to her body to increase her rotation speed. Then, on reaching the apex of her jump, she spread her arms and released the magic. Blue fire raced along her blades as she cut across with practiced form. The fire transformed into waves, two flat discs rapidly exploding outward from her in all directions, illuminating the hapless dummy as they accelerated toward it.

As suddenly as the attack began, it ended. Nexi landed on one knee, her swords pointed to her side exactly the way Squall showed her. Two fine, parallel slash marks glowed like embers on the dummy's chest before fading to pitch black. Nexi grinned with satisfaction at the result -- a perfect execution of the Fated Circle.

"Well done," Squall said with approval. "You should continue practicing, but I think you have it." He glanced out of the square windows of the private gym, noting the sinking afternoon sun on the distant woods. "It's getting late. We should inspect your gunblade."

Squall and Nexi walked over to one corner of the gym. There, Squall kept his personal arsenal -- a rack of broad, steel blades, tinted different colors and embossed with detailed engravings, the edges sharp and immaculately polished. Instead of a typical sword hilt, each weapon sported the handle and firing mechanism of a handgun. Next to Squall's arsenal was a newer, smaller rack with Nexi's own collection.

On a table in front of the racks, illuminated by an overhead flood lamp, rested Nexi's favorite gunblade. She had started training on Squall's broad-bladed Revolver, with its finished black wooden handle and six chamber cylinder, but she had found it too unwieldy. So, she and Squall experimented and came up with her weapon, Trinity. The blade was like a straight saber, light but still strong enough to not break easily. The grip was that of a small caliber pistol, its handle shaped to fit snugly in her palm. There were four small barrels, two aiming down each side of the blade. The handle and elaborate guard were plated with Abadon ivory and tarnished brass, giving the whole weapon a regal, antique look.

There were fundamental differences between her's and Squall's weapons, but they worked to her advantage. Squall's Revolver was a two handed weapon that didn't fire any actual projectiles. Instead, it discharged blanks that sent shockwaves up the blade, maximizing damage as he struck. Nexi's, however, did fire projectiles. She also could wield it with one hand, the smaller caliber having little recoil. The trigger was a double-trigger, so that she could choose to fire one or two bullets at a time. Nexi named the gunblade Trinity for its two triggers plus one blade, and to honor her three-way bond with Atrop and Fable.

Because Trinity was a one-handed gunblade, it freed her off-hand for another use. Lying next to Trinity was a matching dirk, about as long as her forearm, with the same brass hilt and guard as its companion. Nexi used both weapons to enhance her defense and have a more flexible option in close quarter combat. Also arranged neatly on the table were hand-length brass sheaths containing four-bullet moon clips for fast reloading. 

Squall and Nexi checked over every part of her gunblade. They disassembled the gun and cleaned the insides of the barrels with a steel brush. Then they cleaned and lubricated the components of the action, making sure the hammers repositioned themselves from one barrel to another with each trigger pull. They sharpened the blade on a small grindstone and polished it to protect it from rust. Lastly, they reassembled the gunblade and gave every part one more rubdown with a dry cloth.

As they worked, Squall and Nexi talked about the mission. "Xu tells me she assigned you to forest defense," Squall began. "How are you feeling?"

Nexi didn't quite know what to feel. Should she be scared? Or should she let bravado cover that all up? She did feel nervous, but she felt she was as ready as she could be. There was no sense in worrying -- the day was going to come, and she wouldn't know anymore about it until it did. 

"I'm ready for it, I suppose."

Squall studied her over the part of the guard he was rubbing down. "You're the only exam candidate assigned to the forest. Everyone around you will already be SeeDs. It's quite an honor that Xu has such confidence in you."

"Yeah…" said Nexi as she looked down the barrel she had just finished scrubbing. Maybe that was why she was nervous. She would be alone, battling side by side with unfamiliar faces. Atrop wouldn't be guarding her flank, Fable not there to provide support magic. Of course, she would have SeeDs in their place, and you couldn't ask for better soldiers. But did she have enough experience to work well with them? Could they trust her to have their back, the same way she would trust them?

Squall screwed the guard back on the blade. "Nervousness is natural. Expectations of you are high, and they will only get higher as you get older. But that is only because at every stage, you prove you can perform above and beyond what's expected of you." Squall picked up a clip sheath and checked it was filled to capacity. "You belong out there, Nexi. You inspire even the older generations of SeeDs, and they are proud to have the opportunity to serve with you."

Nexi reddened slightly with affection. She never had to say a word to him or explain anything. It was like he could look inside her and just… understand. Sometimes he even understood her before she understood herself.

Squall opened a drawer under the table and held out two small chains. "Here, these are for you."

Nexi saw two pendants dangling from the chains, and behind them she saw the proud look in Squall's eyes, parted by the scar across his bridge that was now all too familiar to her. Nexi smiled her thanks and took them to examine more closely. One was Griever, Squall's favorite winged lion, made of stainless steel. It was identical to the one that hung from his gunblade, which also bore Griever as an engraving on the blade. The other pendant was different, something she hadn't seen before. It looked like a flat, delicate woven ring, made from brass or maybe gold. Mounted at three equidistant points around its circumference were smaller rings. Nexi gasped as she understood. It signified three as one -- a trinity. He had designed for her an emblem, like Griever, that she could use as her very own.

Nexi took her assembled gunblade and attached the pendants to the bottom of her handle. She took up the gunblade in one hand and the dirk in the other, turned to Squall and saluted, elated with all the love she felt toward him at that very moment.

Squall beamed with pride for his daughter and protégé. " _Now_ you're ready."

* * *

Night fell over Balamb Garden. The intercom played a sweet bell to mark the start of the nightly curfew as the cadets returned to their dorms. Everything was ready -- plans laid, arms checked, farewells made. All that was left was to await the coming of the day.

Nexi, Atrop, and Fable were lounging at the "secret spot". It was on a metal rooftop beyond the training grounds, accessible only by an occasionally unlocked maintenance tunnel. It wasn't a very special place in and of itself, but what it did offer was a spectacular view of the main Garden building -- the homely blue facade curved like the belly of a heavy galleon, rising in smaller layered sections until it tapered like an enormous drop of water, frozen as it began to squish into the ground. Above the heavenly building hovered the great rotating halo, now radiating a luminescent blue in the night.

The glow from the halo cast its light all the way to the secret spot, lighting the faces of the trio as they reflected on all the years they had spent as Garden students.

"I... can't believe it's our last day," said Atrop as he stared mesmerized at the Garden.

Nexi leaned idly over the railing, dangling her new pendant from her hand. "I dunno. It doesn't really bother me."

Atrop looked curiously at Nexi. "We've been here our whole life and know practically nothing else. You're not worried at all about the future?"

Nexi shrugged. "The future is the future. You plan for what you are aware of, but beyond that, there's really no point in thinking about it."

Fable was staring aimlessly into the training ground below, her arms folded on the railing under her chin as her gaze wandered through the thick green foliage. She sighed sorrowfully, but what about, she wasn't saying.

That's odd, Nexi thought. "I like your hair, Fable."

Another enormous sigh. "Thanks…"

"Come on, sis, what's bothering you?" asked Atrop.

"I just… wanna do it all over again. It's like I just started figuring it all out but then it's all done. And now I know what I was supposed to do, but I can't go back and do it!"

"Like what?" continued Atrop.

Fable made her usual grumpy frown, but there was a bit more thoughtfulness in her expression. "Like how to not act like an idiot all the time. To do things so people will like me and not just call me a goof."

Nexi and Atrop looked at each other, confused and concerned. They had never heard Fable talk this way before. "But...Fable," countered Nexi, "that's what makes you so special."

Fable raised a single, cynical eyebrow at them, daring them to humor her.

"No, really," Nexi continued. "You wouldn't be where you are today without being you. And if you did it all again, you would end up in the exact same place." Nexi laughed a little. "You've got the opposite problem from Atrop. He's freaking out about what might happen, and you're moping about what already has. You can't do much about either."

Nexi leaned out a bit to look more directly into Fable's eyes. "I don't want you to be any different. I like who you are, right now."

Fable smiled a little, but didn't answer. Maybe this would take time, Nexi thought. As irrelevant as the rest of time seemed to be, past and future, the three of them were not done growing. To keep growing, they needed time, and time needed to keep ticking -- one moment to the next, future becoming present, present fading into the memory of the past. Past, present, and future… they needed all three to become the people they were meant to be.

The light from the Garden slowly pulsed brighter as the night deepend. "Do you… think we'll still be together?" Atrop shyly asked.

"Ah, so that's what's on your mind!" pointed Nexi. "...I don't see why we wouldn't be. We'll still be living together at the Garden. It won't stop being our home."

"Yes, but everything will change. We'll be out on contract, sometimes for months. Our leave might not even overlap." Atrop looked down with the saddest expression Nexi had ever seen on him. "I miss you already."

Nexi watched his face -- his simple, honest, noble face. Looking at it now, she realized how she had been taking for granted that he would always be close to her, always within arm's reach when she needed him. She felt a pang of regret inside her, and knew she would miss him too.

She looked down at the trinity pendant swinging lightly between her fingers. "We'll always have each other." Fable and Atrop both stirred a little. "In my memories," continued Nexi, "that's where you'll always be. And not just in memories. Every time I do something, I feel that I do it in a way that one of you would. Even if you're long gone for years and years, you're still a part of me because you shaped me into who I am." Nexi pushed off the railing and stared proudly at the Garden. "If I want to see you, all I have to do is look in the mirror."

The Garden began to dim again as the brighter part of the halo turned away from them. Everyone was silent for a moment as they realized the night was getting older. It was time to go.

Fable turned slowly away from the Garden toward Nexi, revealing the tears that had streamed silently down her face. She sprung suddenly into Nexi's arms, squeezing her tight. Nexi looked at Atrop and saw him holding back, but with an expression like a puppy, longing to do the same. She beckoned to him with her fingers and he came straight over, wrapping his long arms around the two sisters in a single, warm embrace.

It was time to say goodnight. Time to face tomorrow.


	3. II. The Forests of Timber

The morning came with wrath. The cadets rose before dawn, hastily dressed in uniform, and ate breakfast in the busy cafeteria -- opened especially at early hours to accommodate the exam participants. There was bustle in the armory as they gathered their weapons and equipment, followed by the large queue at the parking garage for the shuttles to Balamb Town.

But despite the flurry of activity, all were assembled at the docks by the appointed hour -- a company of 80 SeeDs and 20 candidates, standing at attention in their rank and file. Docked in front of them were five high-speed vessels, their curved metallic forms shining blue-gray in the early morning sun. The large triangular doors of their beak-like prows were open to board the cadets. Deep in the belly of each boat were the armored vehicles that would carry the company into battle, with high suspensions and thick tire treads to handle the difficult paths ahead.

Xu, Rinoa, Zell, and a few other officers stood to the side on one of the docks. Nexi from the front rank couldn't help but notice Rinoa's combat apparel. She stood proudly amongst the SeeD officers, wearing a black cloth tank top and shorts of black leather. She wore bands that covered her forearms, and over everything was a black, sleeveless cardigan, buttoned once just under her bosom, trailing behind to her ankles. Her only weapon was a round, shield-like device on her wrist that looked like a spiral of white angel wings. In all their years together, this was the first time Nexi had ever seen Rinoa equipped for battle.

Squall stood in front of the ranks and addressed the company.

"SeeDs! Distinguished cadets! We thank you and honor you for your service. Today we embark on the most complex mission SeeD has ever undertaken in its 30 year history. Never before have we committed a force this size, nor to an engagement where the stakes were higher. 

"Seven of our last nine exams have been in Galbadia to fight what has seemed like an endless war. Victory in today's mission is likely to bring an end to that conflict. Reflect on that! Your actions today can bring about a peace that Galbadia's children have never known."

Nexi's attention wavered for a moment. Squall's comment reminded her: she _was_ one of those children. She remembered back to a time in her life before Garden, before SeeD, recalled only as a dreamlike fragment of early childhood memory. She had this fleeting image of a farm in an endless summer field, the smell of a stable nearby. One of her little hands was on the long neck of a young chocobo just about her height, her other hand holding out food pellets. The chocobo's yellow feathered head bobbed up and down as it nibbled the pellets with its big golden beak. For reasons she didn't understand at the time, there had come a day when she was suddenly taken away from that place, and all that life and what it might have been were gone forever.

Nexi came out of her reverie as Squall continued his speech. "Cadets! It has been our humble pleasure to educate you at the Garden. You have studied hard. You have trained rigorously. If you pass your exam today, you will join the ranks of the finest soldiers in the world. Do not be discouraged! Perform your duties to the best of your ability, and you will triumph. Go proudly forward and claim your victory!"

And with that, SeeDs and cadets together raised their fists and shouted a triumphant _Hurrah!_ The boat motors roared to life. The company divided and swiftly entered. No sooner had the last cadet stepped into the last craft than the doors folded closed and the boats propelled away from the docks. They sailed southwest along the coast until they came around the point. Once clear of the island, they reset their bearings and accelerated westward across the ocean, straight toward the Galbadian continent. 

* * *

The campaign began well. The boats, despite the weight of their cargo and passengers, arrived on the eastern coast of Galbadia before mid-morning. The landing site was a wide, sandy beach with ample room to assemble their force. The beach sloped gently until it reached a bed of tall grass, and beyond it was an open green prairie, the sky clear and blue above, and a dark green line on the horizon -- the beginning of the forest. They boarded the armored personnel carriers and drove southwest across the country, striking the railroad they needed well south of the East Academy station. To the north lay Dollet. To the south: Roshfall Forest and the city of Timber. 

They turned south and followed the line of the track, passing areas where the rails were pulled up and the line barricaded. On one section of track stood a long train of wagons filled with felled timber, but the locomotive that had pulled them had been reduced to a crumpled pile of metal -- a victim of the waste and ruin of war. 

As the rest of the morning wore away, the fields gradually changed into sparse trees, then into woods, and finally into a thick forest of tall pines and firs. The gravel shoulder of the rail line grew steep and the track elevated, and the gap between the railroad and the trees narrowed. It was soon impossible to continue quickly off-road.

Here, the vehicles revealed a neat trick. After several similar campaigns dealing with Galbadia's expansive yet increasingly unreliable rail network, Squall had tasked his engineers with designing a system to convert quickly between road and rail travel. With several jolts and bumps, the vehicles climbed onto the track. Large pistons extended slowly downward from the undercarriages and lifted the vehicles off the ground. Once the bottoms of the tires were level with the rails, the wheels sprang outward to reveal a hidden set of steel track wheels. The axles contracted to match the gauge of the track, and the vehicles slowly descended until they connected with the rails. The pistons retreated back up, and voila: the APCs were now rail vehicles.

After several miles coasting smoothly along the track, the convoy reached their first check with the enemy. An old, rusty water tower came into view on a distant ridge, and at its base they saw what looked like a metal square with a long tube protruding from its middle -- the small yet unmistakable form of an artillery piece. They slowed to a halt, and Squall rose through the roof of the third vehicle to take a closer look with binoculars. A lookout on the water tower could easily spot them and relay coordinates to the cannon below. They might also radio to more artillery that were out of sight. If any were operational, the company would have trouble.

Though everyone waited anxiously, they didn't see any activity from the tower -- no signals or flares, no sound or flash of cannon fire. Soon, Squall lowered his binoculars and waved the company forward. The tower and its artillery piece, apparently, were not a threat.

Another half hour brought them to a clearing at a railroad junction. Branching off to the east was the line heading for the transocean tunnel to Balamb. Here the SeeDs split their force. Xu took over half of the company west on foot, deeper into the forest, to defend their flank and line of retreat. Squall and the rest advanced south, unencumbered by any enemy presence. The guerillas, tasked with disrupting the enemy garrisons, had apparently done an exceptional job and driven the enemy clear.

The small army drove on as the forest began to thin and the way grew wider. The track branched into multiple lines as it entered a depot, and they could now make out Timber's large central station looming ahead. Here they began to see recent signs of battle. Blackened craters, both physically and magically produced, dotted the landscape and gave off smoldering fumes. There were some fresh scars on the crumbling, seagreen warehouse buildings. All were wrapped in a light fog from the rising smoke. Of enemies, or allies, none were to be seen. But in the distance off to the west they could hear rumblings and booms -- the battle being fought by Quistis and General Caraway. 

Squall ordered the vehicles back to their road wheels and spread out their formation. As the company rumbled further into the depot, they were confronted with a barricade of freight and overturned train wagons. A man in a padded yellow vest and a blue watch cap appeared over the top, waving the blue and yellow flag of Timber. The company came to a halt about 50 yards from the barricade. Squall, Rinoa, and Zell left their vehicles and stepped forward a few feet. 

The man put down the flag and raised a microphone. "Who goes there, sirs?"

Squall and Zell raised eyebrows at each other, perplexed by the odd use of the word "sir", but Rinoa brightened like a child. " _Watts!_ " she shouted, and dashed forward with her arms open wide. She vaulted over the barricade and nearly knocked over Watts with her hug, surprising both him and the nearby freedom fighters.

Squall couldn't restrain himself from slapping his palm to his forehead -- a reaction from old times working with these clowns. But at the same time he was relieved to be received by their scrappy resistance allies instead of entrenched Galbadian forces. They had arrived safely in Timber.

* * *

Squall set up their headquarters inside the central station and placed the company on standby. The station still retained much of its past beauty; the roof was shaped like a curving pyramid plated with copper shingles, and all the major entrances were framed by tall gray archways. But the station, like the city, had seen better days. The copper roofing was oxidized to a rusty green color, and a light green lichen clung to the stonework in many places. 

Watts brought Squall, Zell, and Rinoa into the railroad control tower on the top floor. It was an open, square room, with windows that were not tall but very wide, commanding views of all major corners of the city. The walls had many paper maps of Timber's road and rail networks. A skylight among the wooden rafters above let in extra daylight, and doors led out to balconies on all four sides.

As they entered the room, Squall noticed three men hunched over a map on a large square table. One of them wore a dark blue fleece and shorts with brown boating shoes. He had dark, short cut hair with touches of gray and a little stubble on his chin. To Squall, he looked like he should be out sailing instead of conducting a military operation.

The man looked up. On seeing Squall and Rinoa, his eyes went wide and he turned a peculiar pale color. He howled dramatically with pain and crumpled down to the floor, clutching his stomach.

"Oh, Zone!..." Rinoa quickly went and knelt by him. "Is this any way to greet me after so long?"

Zone looked up at her, his eyes bleary. "I-I'm sorry, Rinoa… I didn't know you were coming! You know how when I get nervous, my stomach -- ouch!"

"But why are you nervous around me, Zone?"

Zone didn't answer, but Squall didn't think he needed to. Anyone only had to look at Rinoa once -- catch a glimpse of her warm brown eyes or her long lustrous hair -- to answer how she might make a man nervous.

Zone allowed Rinoa to help him up. Squall waited for him to regain his composure, then stepped forward.

"We are here to help you, Zone. Our contract is technically with General Caraway, but we haven't forgotten our old agreement with you and the Forest Owls. We will not leave until Timber's independence is secure."

Zone steadied himself on the table and nodded. "T-Thank you, Squall."

"First," continued Squall, "we need to understand the current situation."

"Yeah… Ok!" Zone pushed himself off the table to invigorate his confidence. "Well, Watts and I are top generals of the Timberwolves. When the Dems showed up, a lot of the garrisons here got pulled out to help. That's when we got with the other resistance groups, went to the soldiers that were left and BANG!" -- Zone pounded his fist into his other hand -- "we hit them where the sun don't shine."

"I ran intelligence, sir," interjected Watts. "We learned that the enemy had installed artillery to guard all the routes into the city. We mobilized our gangs and hit those too."

"And it's a good thing we did!", exclaimed Zone. "They'd have made things really messy for you if they saw you coming!"

"About that artillery," asked Zell. "Did you leave any operational? It'd be a huge boost to our defense if we can use them."

Zone began to turn the wrong shade of green, but Squall walked over and put a consoling hand on his shoulder. "It's alright, Zone. You can't think of everything. And disabling that artillery likely saved our lives. You did the right thing."

"R-Right," stuttered Zone.

Squall went to the map on the table to study it. "Which way did the enemy retreat from the city?"

"Toward the west end, sir," answered Watts.

"How long ago?"

"About an hour," said Zone.

"Okay. That doesn't give us much time. The west end is where we need to concentrate our defense, but we still need forces on all fronts to warn us of any --"

"Squall..." interrupted Rinoa. She was standing by the western window. When Squall looked up, she nodded toward it.

He went to the window with his binoculars. There was still a lot of haze, but the pattern of dust rising beyond the buildings was an unmistakable sign. Something was coming.

Squall nodded to Zell, who quickly saluted and exited the room. The veteran soldier and old friend needed no more than a glance and a gesture to understand his command. Squall looked back through the binoculars at the advancing enemy line. It was time.

* * *

Zell gathered the company and issued swift orders. Of the 40 soldiers that had not gone with Xu, Zell sent squads of six to the south, east, and north to patrol and reinforce the resistance barricades. The rest he took west to a boulevard that began just beyond Timber's TV station -- one of the last reminders of Deling-era Galbadian occupation.

The boulevard was part of an old industrial quarter. Three-decker tenant homes lined the streets and once housed hundreds of steel and lumber workers. Their brick facades and bay windows faced each other over a grassy park between two paved streets. The neighborhood hadn't been particularly affluent due to the towering TV station, its mushroom shape and cobalt blue windows an aesthetic eyesore. But now, after years of war, everything was much worse. The grassy parkway was reduced to dirt and dry grass, and the buildings were crumbling from lack of use and disrepair. Instead of children laughing on the curbs, there was only dead silence, occasionally broken by the mournful caw of a hungry crow. 

Soon, the lonely boulevard would become a battlefield. The resistance had thrown up multiple barricades made from commandeered vehicles and abandoned furniture. Resistance fighters and SeeDs lined the barricades, waiting for the enemy's attack. 

Atrop sat idly with his back against one of the forward barricades. He felt ready for the battle itself, but no one had properly explained to him all the waiting that happens beforehand. He was pumped full of energy, but until the enemy came he had to hold it all in. If he acted too impatiently, he might endanger himself and his comrades.

A resistance fighter sat down a few feet away from him. The man was old and grim, his face gruff and chiseled -- he clearly had seen his fair share of action. Yet even he trembled slightly as he lit a cigarette, only becoming steady after inhaling a few times. He saw Atrop looking at him and offered the cigarette, but Atrop respectfully declined. He wanted to adapt to the stress without the help of nicotine. Plus, this was still an exam -- he didn't want points docked for lighting up, underage, while on high alert.

Distant noises, almost beyond the range of hearing, began to permeate the air around them. They were thin, mechanical whining sounds, like jet engines speeding up and slowing down. But they didn't cease, and it seemed like they were coming closer.

Atrop looked up to the corner of the nearest building. Zell lay flat on the roof, binoculars in one hand, a radio in the other. He was speaking with the lookout in the TV tower, but Atrop couldn't make out what he was saying.

Zell put down the binoculars and radio and got up on one knee, pulling tight his metal-knuckled dueling gloves. He scanned the barricade below until he made eye contact with Atrop. He made hand signals -- a diagonal chop, his left hand slapped on his right wrist, a raised backhanded fist. _Thunder, Junction to Elemental attack._

Atrop nodded and passed the message to the other cadets. He adjusted the settings on his gun-arm using a panel under one of the wrist plates. The gun-arm hummed with a strong electrical charge; little tendrils of blue lightning crackled across his gauntleted fingertips. He listened again to the approaching enemy, the whining sounds now much louder. Enhancing their weapons with Thunder magic usually meant one thing: machines.

The whining noise suddenly jumped in volume. From an alleyway half a block ahead, a tall robot jetted out into the boulevard. Atrop recognized it instantly by its indigo color, slender humanoid form, and large bladed wings on its back. It was a GIM52A assault automaton, manufactured at the height of Galbadia's military industrial complex. Its key feature was its speed; spinning in a cylinder behind its upper back was a generator that magically slowed time, allowing the GIM52A to move much more quickly than it otherwise physically could. Its mechanical body could react as fast and smoothly as a human, swinging its sharp wings and flexible limbs to destroy a whole platoon in short order. 

Atrop had been fascinated by this machine in books, but it was quite a different story to have one in front of you, towering more than 8 feet tall, programmed to kill you on sight. It would be a real problem if even one of these machines penetrated the defense. 

The SeeDs and resistance fighters remained hidden behind the barricades as the GIM52A scanned for targets. Not finding any, it slowly moved forward, metal foot by metal foot, to the center of the boulevard as four more of the mechanical monsters glided in from other side streets.

Once the robots were exposed and away from cover, Zell stood up and shouted, " _Attack!_ " With that one word, the whole scene erupted into a whirlwind of gunfire, explosions, and magical lightning flashes. Two machines fell with numerous bullet holes and smoking, overheated circuits. 

The other three swiftly regrouped. Two jetted themselves to either side of the boulevard and began to advance, undeterred by the incoming fire. The third one slid backward and widened its stance, raising its arms and sword-like wings. Before the SeeDs and resistance fighters could react, a torrent of tiny missiles shot out from behind its back, thin smoke trails marking their passage through the air. The missiles bent sharply and honed in on different parts of the barricade, the explosions rocking it in several places and sending up clouds of debris.

Atrop was in the middle of reloading his wrist gun, but was just able to take cover before a missile burst the wooden truck bed in front of him. As the dust cleared a little, he saw the nearest GIM52A running on its legs -- sprinting forward, like an athlete -- to the gap in the barricade. Atrop had little time to think -- just enough to reflect that, if he panicked, he would be dead in less than a second. 

Atrop ran forward to intercept the robot at the barricade. It swung its metal fist down, but Atrop met the blow on his armored forearm. The strength of his gun-arm was enough to stop it, barely.

The ruthless GIM52A wasted no time continuing its attack, swinging a blade on its other arm to decapitate him. Atrop ducked under the arm, feeling the blade graze his hair as it cut across. But now he was inches from the robot's dark purple torso, his arm free to strike. He punched with all the force he could muster. The blow knocked the machine back a couple of feet, putting a huge dent in the armor as lightning sparks from the junctioned Thunder magic danced across its surface. But the GIM52A's plated exoskeleton protected its critical circuitry from the electrical surge. Atrop would have to follow up with another attack to bring it down.

Further up the boulevard, Zell pulled his electrified fist out of the smashed head of his felled robot. He looked across the battlefield and saw Atrop. His opponent was just recovering and preparing another attack, but Zell noticed the fluttering green lights of paramagic floating around Atrop. He watched him put his right foot back and tighten his fist to his side, then punch with an uppercut so strong that even the ground behind him seemed to rise up and follow his fist. He connected with the robot's jaw, and the force of the blow was so strong it knocked the head clean off.

Zell raised his eyebrows with pleasant surprise. It was a move right out of _Combat King_ volume one: the Dolphin Blow. So the kid learned something from him after all -- not bad!

Atrop caught his breath as he gloated over the slouched remains of his adversary, feeling impressed with himself despite the battle raging around him. He heard Zell whoop and saw him raise two thumbs into the sky. But then Zell heard his radio and put it to his ear. 

He waved Atrop over. "You need to head back to HQ. Squall needs you there."

Atrop looked around the battlefield. More GIM52As were joining the battle. Resistance fighters unloaded magazine after magazine of bullets at them, and the air smelled of ozone from all the spent Thunder magic. "But...sir, won't you need me here?"

Zell raised an eyebrow at him. "The order to withdraw, cadet?"

Atrop nodded and looked down. "The order to withdraw takes priority, sir."

Suddenly, a GIM52A burst through a brick wall just behind them. Surprised, Atrop stumbled as he shielded his eyes from the debris. But before the robot could make another move at them, an orb of dark energy expanded from the ground underneath it. The GIM52A struggled to lift its legs as the gravity at its feet increased by a factor of ten. It collapsed on all fours, the Demi spell pulling it down by its own weight. Before the magic even began to wear off, a fist-sized ball of steel swung down from above, whistling through the air. It would have done sizable damage on its own, but when it entered the spell's gravity field, its momentum became like that of a meteor.

This was far too much for the machine. The ball blew through its core like a bullet through a slab of butter, with still enough energy to bury itself several inches into the pavement. The GIM52A sighed and crumpled flat, not rising again.

At the other end of the ball and chain several feet away, Fable leapt into the air with a loud _Woohoo!_ She flashed a two-fingered peace sign to Atrop. "It's alright, bro, we got this! Say hi to Squall!" She yanked the chain and caught the ball against her chest, running off to join the battle somewhere else.

Atrop stared after her with his mouth open, thinking of the destruction his little sister just heaped on what now seemed like an unfortunate, wholly innocent killer robot. Needing no more convincing that they would be fine without him, he shot a quick salute to Zell and hurried away, picking his way toward the TV station.

* * *

Deep in the forest, Nexi watched from a trench as the tops of tall spruce trees fell over in the distance. They couldn't see the enemy yet, but they could hear the sounds of saws and the booms of trunks slamming on the ground, slowly but steadily drawing nearer.

Xu's original plan was to concentrate their defense on the logging roads, thinking the enemy would use them as the easiest way through the forest. But the scouts reported a different story. Anticipating the roads would be guarded, the enemy had commandeered commercial logging equipment and was using it to carve their own paths. The SeeDs therefore had to spread their line of defense, weakening their strength. They used magic to hastily dig trenches in a recently logged clearing, where stumps of trees and gnarled roots dotted the field between them and the forest. Now they were waiting for the enemy, advancing toward them tree by tree.

While Nexi was focusing across the clearing, looking for any visual confirmation of the enemy, a young man lay down a few feet from her. He wore a SeeD uniform, but it was black instead of dark gray and had mostly silver embroidery in the shoulder pads. He was maybe a couple years older than Nexi. He had a soft, innocent face, crystal blue eyes, and fine charcoal hair.

Nexi looked at him for a brief moment before turning away, concentrating on the mission. But she could feel his eyes on her.

"Hi, I'm Jason. What's your name?"

Nexi flashed a quick glance at Jason and looked back to the forest. "Nexi."

"Nice to meet you, Nexi." There was an awkward pause before he spoke again. "So… today is an exam day for you?"

Nexi was starting to get irritated by the small talk. She lifted a pair of binoculars to her eyes, picking a random rock on the edge of the trees to stare at. "Yup."

"Ah…" But Jason didn't seem ready to give up. "You're from Balamb, right? I'm from Galbadia Garden. I had to run a message here from the western front; they asked me to stay and help with the forest." Jason looked away for a moment, thinking of something else he could say. "So is it really true that you keep T-Rexaurs in your training center?"

Nexi looked at him incredulously. Was this guy for real?

"They used to," answered Nexi. "They were a little much to keep fed."

"Man, that's nuts! Although, going to schools that once got up and _moved_ , I guess anything is possible."

Nexi couldn't help but laugh a bit, and Jason laughed with her. Here they were, on the edge of an imminent battle, talking about a strange time when mysterious emergency systems actually lifted their school buildings out of the ground and made them mobile. Neither of them were old enough to remember the events, but it was still legendary among their class -- there were framed newspaper clippings of when the entirety of Balamb Garden floated across the ocean, out of control, and crashed into the docks of Fisherman's Horizon.

The top of a tree crashed through into the clearing. For a fleeting moment, Nexi caught a glimpse of the cutter -- some kind of machine made from bright metal, with a human pilot. But the foliage was thick, and it disappeared before she could study it more.

Xu, several yards away, put down her binoculars and gave orders. "Battlemages! I want Quake and Fire against the first assault. Infantry, sortie on my command."

Nexi became serious and drew her gunblade, checking it was loaded for what felt like the tenth time. Jason drew a straight, single-edged sword, but Nexi saw he also wore steel gauntlets that covered much of his forearms.

"Well, this is it: Good luck, Nexi."

Nexi swallowed and looked straight ahead. The foliage started to shake as if a herd of animals was about to burst through.

Out from the forest came the first of the cutters. They looked like robotic metal suits, 10 feet tall, with two lumbering legs, claw-like left arms and saw-bladed right. In the center of their chassis were the pilots -- Galbadian soldiers wearing green uniforms and steel helmets with three glowing red eye goggles. The helmets and goggles made the top halves of their faces look more like insects than men. But their very human mouths were visible, grimacing with wrath as they charged.

The cutters were followed by more units on foot -- blue soldiers with swords, casting Fire spells at the SeeD ranks, and red-uniformed elites, firing machine guns from the wrists of their bulky steel gun-arms. 

The SeeDs were well prepared for this kind of assault. Support mages swiftly cast protective spells that rippled blue and green as enemy magic dissipated against them. The battlemages at the same time let loose their reply. The ground beneath the enemy shook violently with multiple Quake spells, toppling many of the cutters and crushing nearby soldiers. Fire magic erupted around them; some soldiers fell to the ground, screaming from burns, while others rushed to them to provide magical first aid.

"Infantry! _Attack!_ " shouted Xu over the din.

Nexi almost choked, not daring to breathe as she scrambled over the trench and ran forward into the smouldering clearing. She saw a cutter that was still working, the pilot maneuvering it off the ground to continue his charge. But because it was not military by design, the pilot's body was exposed, giving her an opportunity.

Nexi dashed straight for the cutter. It was on its feet before she reached it, but that didn't matter. As the pilot shouted and swung his claw at her, Nexi leaped upward. Her first step landed on the claw's forearm, her second planted itself on the pilot's dashboard, and her third kicked up into his head, knocking him out. In a flash of inspiration, Nexi followed through her climb until she was in a backflip high over the cutter. While upside-down, she slashed with her Fated Circle technique at the shoulder joint of the saw blade arm, pulling her double trigger in the process. The bullets and the slash severed the arm, toppling the cutter as it lost the balancing counterweight of the saw blade. Nexi landed on the other side of the machine as it crumbled -- its pilot unconscious, the cutter disabled.

But she didn't revel in her victory for a moment. She was exposed to the enemy infantry, far from the safety of the trench. She sprung to cover behind the cutter as bullets ricocheted near her head. Looking at the SeeD line, she saw Xu waving her back. Nexi made a run for the line, feeling the heat of Fire spells as they flashed over her. She felt one explosion very close by as she dove into the trench, vaguely aware of Jason with his hand extended mid-cast.

Nexi spun back around to face the battlefield just as an enemy soldier collapsed to the ground in front of them, his chest plate charred and smoking from Jason's spell. The soldier still clutched the sword he had been using to cut down Nexi in her retreat.

"Not bad, girl!" Jason shouted. Nexi didn't answer, but she felt her cheeks blush deeply. She had never needed anyone's approval before. Why did she feel so flattered now? She hoped Jason would chalk up the blushing to all the running and gymnastics she just did.

Over the noise of the battle, she heard Xu calling her name. " _Nexi!_ " She looked at Xu and saw her beckoning. Nexi hurried over through the trench, keeping her head low.

When Nexi reached Xu, she had turned away to shout orders at a different part of the battlefield. But her divided attention came quickly back to Nexi. "Our radio is jammed. I need you to get back to HQ and ask Squall for any reinforcements he can spare. Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am!" shouted Nexi.

Xu gave her a quick nod before turning away, already issuing more orders.

Nexi ran back to her post. "What is it?" asked Jason.

"I need to get to HQ."

Jason nodded. "I'll cover you. I hope we meet again, Nexi."

Nexi paused a moment to study Jason just a little more. His eyes were searching hers, trying to decipher something about her. She decided she'd keep her feelings a mystery to him, but also leave the door open. Whatever, she shrugged. He deserved an A for Effort at least. 

She offered a thin smile and a hand shake. "Thanks," she replied.

Jason shook her hand and returned the smile, a glimmer of hope in his face. Nexi turned back to the battlefield. The woods were not far, but already the enemy was encroaching on her route. She had to go now.

Nexi pushed herself up and out of the trench, making a beeline for the woods. A soldier saw her and charged with his sword raised, but he suddenly slowed as the white frost of a Blizzard spell enveloped and froze him -- that must have been Jason. She kept running, half way now to the cover of the forest. Another soldier stepped in her way and slashed at her, but she blocked with her dirk and knocked him down with the solid pummel of her gun handle.

She didn't stop running. One more soldier was between her and the forest -- an elite. He was looking away at first, but then he saw her coming and turned, aiming his gun-arm. But Nexi had sparred with Atrop enough to know how to deal with gun-arms: they made their users top-heavy. Nexi sprinted harder, directly for him. Just before he opened fire with his wrist gun, she dropped into a slide and kicked the elite directly in his shins. The blow might not have knocked down a regular soldier, but the heavy gun-arm caused the elite to topple forward, cursing as he crashed into the ground. Nexi was up again, and by the time the elite recovered and swung his gun around, she was already in the trees, the bullets embedding harmlessly into thick bark. 

Nexi ran hard for another hundred yards or so. Then, confident she wasn't being pursued, she slowed down and changed her course for Timber. 

The foliage was thin in this part of the forest, with needles from tall pines covering much of the floor. The needles were soft and springy under her feet, cushioning her legs as she jogged. Early afternoon sunlight dotted the ground as it poked through the canopy. The smell of pine in the air brought euphoria. All in all, this was a very comfortable spot for a run. It was easy to forget being surrounded by battle in a place like this.

Another mile brought her to the railroad junction that Squall and the others had passed on their way into the city. She was almost to Timber now; maybe she'd even be able to catch one of the supply vehicles and get a ride in.

But stepping out of the cover of the trees, she stopped. She thought she heard a faint jingling sound. There was a warm, tingling sensation growing behind her neck. Growing hotter, and rapidly.

Nexi dove forward to avoid the spell. Her quick reaction spared her from serious hurt, but the explosion was still close enough to lift her off her feet. She fell flat on her face, the wind knocked out of her. Both of her weapons flew far out of arms' reach. She scrambled to get up, but cried out as someone delivered a savage kick to her ribs, knocking her onto her back. She looked up from the ground and there, standing above her, a Galbadian soldier gloated. He was close enough for her to see the unclean shave of his beard and the mechanical rotating lenses of his red goggles. She could even smell him -- a nauseating combination of body odor and a hint of exhaust fumes.

"I've got you now, SeeD!" He laughed cruelly as he raised his sword above his head. Nexi grasped for anything to defend herself with, her hand landing on a thick stick. But when she pulled it, only a sliver of tree root came out of the ground. It was stuck!

The soldier, seeing what she was trying to do, only laughed harder. He lifted the sword high, and swung…

 _No!!_ Nexi screamed as she raised her arm, shielding herself in final, desperate defense. But suddenly, she heard a _pop-pop-pop_ sound. Nexi lowered her arm, confused. The soldier still stood there with his sword held high, but frozen with shock. There were three holes in the heart of his chest plate where bullets had punctured it. He exhaled a last sigh and fell over dead, his body landing across Nexi's legs. She kicked him away and scrambled back, not realizing for a moment that someone else must be near. She sprung to her feet and spun around to see a tall cadet running up the track from Timber, the wrist of his gun-arm still smoking from the submachine gun he had mounted there.

" _Atrop?_ "

Atrop caught up to her. "Nexi! Are you hurt?"

Nexi shook her head violently. "Atrop, what are you _doing_ here?!"

"Squall sent me. We weren't reaching you by radio, so I'm heading to Xu to… _Nexi?!_ "

Nexi started to swoon, but she stopped herself before falling over. "You've got to go back right away. Xu sent me for reinforcements."

"Okay, I'll get them for you." Atrop stared at her for a second, a look of pure concern in his eyes. "Will you be ok?"

Nexi nodded slowly. "I just need a minute, that's all."

"Alright…" Atrop looked at her a moment longer, then turned around and started to run back along the track.

Watching him leave, Nexi felt a sudden tightness develop in her chest, panic growing inside her. "Atrop! Wait--", Nexi stammered as she reached after him.

Atrop spun back around. "What? What is it?"

But Nexi didn't know what. Be safe? Come back home alive? What was the point in asking that? This was a battle. They could all be dead today. Was it fair of her to be so selfish, to demand he stay alive while others die?

Atrop had never presumed to know everything that goes on in Nexi's head, but he generally understood her well enough to know when she needed something. He walked over and gave her a big, tight hug, softly pressing her head against his beating chest. Nexi didn't know why she needed it, but she did. She shuddered in his arms and felt herself relax against him, listening to his heart beat. Familiar, comforting. _Safe_.

Atrop held Nexi for almost a minute, then gently let go and backed away, watching her closely. 

"I'll see you later, alright?"

Nexi breathed a slow breath, calm again. She looked into his eyes. "Yeah, later."

Atrop nodded and started running back to Timber. Nexi watched him a few moments longer, his awkward, lanky body as recognizable to her as her own face. You could train and study and accomplish so much by yourself, she thought, but you will always need others to carry you over the finish line. She needed him.

Nexi grabbed her weapons and stepped onto the northbound track. She'd first head northeast a little bit, deeper behind the SeeD line, before turning back into the forest.

* * *

In the railroad control room, Squall no longer needed to be told to send reinforcements to the forest. From their vantage point, he could see for himself several enemy hover tanks, redeployed from the western front, mobilizing at the forest access points. A couple were even heading toward the TV tower. He had recalled most of the SeeDs patrolling the northern city and one or two from every other squad, ordering them all north to Xu.

Squall eyes were glued to his binoculars, monitoring every development at the forest border and the western city limit, when Zone shouted.

"Squall! More trouble!"

Zone wasn't at the western window, but the eastern one. Why could that be?

Squall went over to look, and his spirits sank. There, near the horizon where the ocean met the shore, several ships were landing. Through the binoculars, Squall could see that they weren't very robust craft -- old cargo and fishing vessels by the look of them -- but they were unloading enemy troops and armored vehicles. They had not been a part of his or Caraway's intelligence reports. All Squall could think was that the enemy had secretly floated them out in the open ocean and prearranged their arrival, just when they projected the battle would be most heated. Or maybe it was a new party altogether, some warlord throwing in his last hidden strength, a surprise bid to re-enter the race for domination.

Squall put the binoculars down and thought deeply. He could not divert forces from the forest -- too much was riding on that part of the conflict, and if the day continued to get worse they would need the northern rail line to retreat. But he also could not move any more forces away from the city. He had already stretched them thin by reassigning some to Xu.

Well, Squall thought, like the old adage says, if you have no one left to send, you must send yourself.

Squall walked over to a table where he had laid a long black case, encrusted with the large silver Griever emblem. Inside it, nestled snugly in molded foam padding, lay his gunblade. He brushed his hand gently across the shining steel and shook his head. He had no doubt of what he must do, but he wasn't a fool about the futility of it. He was more than likely going to their defeat, and his death. After all, the odds were against one more man holding off a fresh army.

But as he reached for the handle, he felt the soft touch of Rinoa's hand on his shoulder. "Squall… I'll go."

Squall paused, his hands still hovering over the gunblade. He turned to Rinoa. She stood proud and unmoving, everything about her physical manner radiating conviction and determination. Only her eyes showed the deep-seated fear she had of calling on her hated powers.

But Squall knew she was right. There was no other answer, aside from defeat. He nodded his head.

Rinoa wasted no time. She grabbed her small crossbow and strapped it to her wrist. Instead of a bolt, she loaded it with a disc -- the angel wing pinwheel that Nexi had seen on the Balamb docks. Rinoa had lost count of the years since she had needed to fire it. In all likelihood, she would not fire it today either. 

The late afternoon sun poured through the western window, outlining her silhouette as she exited the room. But outside, at the bottom of the station's withered granite steps, she turned not west toward the sun, but east -- toward the coming night.

* * *

Nexi looked back from the top of a hill and saw the faint line of the enemy marching from the east. Her heart nearly stopped as she realized what this meant for the resistance, for Atrop and Fable.

 _Sorry, Xu,_ she thought. She knew how badly Xu needed reinforcements, and Nexi's duty was to return to her post in the forest. But her eyes were locked on Timber and she wouldn't turn away. She belonged down there. Maybe they would consider it insubordination and fail her exam, but right now she didn't care. Forget her post. If they were to face defeat, she would do it hand in hand with her siblings and no one else.

Nexi scrambled back down the hill, running as fast as she could for Timber. 

* * *

At Squall's recommendation, Zone ordered the resistance fighters on the eastern front to abandon their forward-most barricades. But they left sharpshooters to ambush and harass the advancing enemy troops, reducing their numbers by the time they reached the city center.

The plan worked marginally well. It slowed the enemy down and gave them some time to fortify the secondary barricades. As snipers harried and thinned the enemy block by block, the resistance built a fresh barricade on the main street of town.

But as they regrouped and manned their last line of defense, the hopelessness of any strategy was revealed. Soldiers, elites, and even robots they would have been able to handle, but what floated up the broadway was a monster of a hovering tank with a massive red cannon, its barrel like an unblinking eye, flanked by six tall blue power batteries. It was an Ironclad -- another relic from the height of Galbadia's dominance. Its beam cannon would easily blast through the makeshift barricade. Behind it, no less than a dozen APCs opened their doors to deploy a whole company of motivated soldiers, determined to make quick work of Timber's fledgling rebellion.

As the tank stopped and took aim, some resistance fighters shook their heads in dismay and turned to flee. The Galbadian soldiers jeered and chanted, their victory appearing certain.

But then, everyone fell silent. Friend and foe alike were stricken dumb as they saw Rinoa, walking forward slowly, gracefully, from the barricade. Her face was placid and calm, her enthralling presence stunning all who watched her. 

The evening sun at her back enveloped her in a golden aura. A wind began to blow in from all directions, the currents circling around Rinoa as she slowly raised her arms as if to embrace the enemy. The sunlight flowing from behind her seemed to dance and wave like fire, spanning wider and wider from her shoulders with flaming swoops until Rinoa seemed to have a pair of majestic, translucent gold angel wings. 

The soldiers lost all strength to fight. Their arms fell to their sides, their weapons falling from their hands as they simply stared, their wills suppressed by the enchantment which drowned all conscious thought. 

The operators inside the Ironclad, however, were determined not to be outdone. The generators hummed to life as they fed energy into the main cannon. The gaping muzzle glowed brighter with concentrated power, almost ready to release the beam that would vaporize all in its path.

* * *

Nexi, her chest about to burst from her marathon sprint, arrived only a block away from the scene. To avoid the enemy, she scrambled up a fire escape and ran across the tops of the buildings. She reached the edge of a hotel overlooking the main street and looked down, seeing all.

The two potent forces stood off against each other: Rinoa, the heiress of ancient sorcery, and the Ironclad, armored behemoth of destruction.

The energy spiraling around the Ironclad's cannon accelerated inside, merging into a single bright light deep within the barrel. And then, its power was unleashed; a white beam of searing hot plasma shot out of the cannon straight for Rinoa. She was completely engulfed by the beam, the light of it so bright that none could see her.

The beam continued for several seconds before cutting off, and all looked to see what had happened to Rinoa. Whether she was still alive, they couldn't tell; where she had been standing, the energy of the beam was collected into a large white orb, hot as a sun, rotating slowly and silently.

But then, the orb began to collapse inward. Drawing its energy, the winds that had been flowing into Rinoa now became gales, spinning around her in a vortex. Dust and debris swept into the torrent, making it darker and darker. Bricks and loose pieces of the more decrepit buildings were pulled off. All blew in and joined the funneling current, which grew higher and higher into a black tornado.

The white orb was gone -- completely absorbed into Rinoa, who stood unmoving in the center of the vicious cyclone. Her appearance was wholly changed. With the sun blocked by the tornado's debris, Rinoa and all her features were cloaked in dark shadow. Her wings were no longer golden, but black as night. Her long hair was whipping about her, lashing wildly in all directions. Whenever Nexi was able to catch an unobstructed view of her face, she could see an eerie yellow glow in the depths of Rinoa's eyes.

Nexi watched with increasing horror. What _was_ this? Rinoa, the woman she called mother, was enveloped in the heart of the tornado like a shrouded demon. Nexi felt terrified and vulnerable, as if she had been cuddling a favorite teddy bear, only to open her eyes and instead find a wild beast thrashing in her arms, hissing and baring fangs.

The tornado moved forward. The enemy soldiers finally realized their peril and tried to flee. Their vehicles were consumed by the encroaching wall of wind, rocking and swaying before they were caught up and flung into the air like torn paper. Some unfortunate soldiers were caught as well, their wild screams carried away by the air, cut short as they were dashed against nearby buildings. The Ironclad attempted to beat a hasty retreat, but it too was caught -- too heavy to be sucked completely into the whirlwind, it blew over and rolled several times to the end of the street, its power banks crumpling and exploding with sparks.

Then, things started to calm. Rinoa lowered her arms. The tornado dissipated, and any of the material caught in it fell to the ground. Rinoa's wings faded, melding back into the sunlight until they disappeared. Her hair fell flat in a tangled mess, but her eyes became their normal color. She was Rinoa again.

There was no sound. No cheering, no screams or jeers. The enemy who remained promptly got up, and without even a glance toward Rinoa they entered whatever vehicles remained on their wheels and hastily drove away.

A radio crackled from somewhere behind the barricade. "All units, this is Commander Leonhart. The enemy has requested a cease-fire. Do not engage. I repeat: do not engage. "

But no one acknowledged Squall's order; no one celebrated the victory. Rinoa, as if coming out of a trance, looked around to find every fighter and SeeD staring at her. Some had faces of awe and wonder. Others narrowed their eyes, full of suspicion. A few wore open looks of disgust and turned their backs.

Rinoa knew there was nothing she could say, nothing she could do in that moment to make them feel any differently. The damage had been done. All she could do was leave and bring the situation to a close. She uncocked her crossbow and walked briskly back toward the train station, struggling to keep her face as emotionless as possible.

* * *

Near the ocean on the eastern outskirts of Timber, a man sat on the steps of a small shack, watching the evening tide. At first glance he seemed like a simple fisherman, wearing stained blue jeans and a puffy vest lined with pockets full of fishing gear. In his youth, he had fought in more than his fair share of wars. Some, he himself had been responsible for escalating. Now, he avoided conflict whenever possible. For the past 20 years he had done nothing much except travel, owning few possessions, wanting nothing except a meal every day and a passable night's sleep.

But as far as war was concerned, he had not left it behind. He still trained in secret every day, keeping his mind and body sound. He lay low not because he was afraid or ashamed, but because he was waiting for a moment he knew would come. He would have waited his whole life for the signs, for his chance for vengeance.

The man had watched from the shadows as the enemy reinforcements unloaded and marched into the city, but he didn't particularly care about them; he stayed out of their way and they ignored him. But when Rinoa's tornado climbed into the sky, he suddenly stood up, tall and alert. Though the magical storm was far away from his little shack, he knew, from hard earned and perilous experience, exactly where it came from and what it meant. His time for waiting was over.

He went inside his shack -- a sparsely furnished, single room home with a kitchenette, small table and chair, and a bed in one corner. Fishing rods and tackle were piled in a bucket by the door. A chest at the end of the bed fit all of his other possessions. All except one, anyway.

The man pulled down a ceiling door to access the attic. He climbed the ladder and retrieved a long case. It looked much like the one Squall had brought to Timber, but instead of a winged lion, this case was adorned with a large silver cross.

The man brought the case to the table and opened it to reveal his gunblade, Hyperion. The dark gray blade was well cared for, sharp and polished, with a magazine-fed 10mm pistol for its handle. As the man took it out of the case and held it up, he could see his own reflection in the blade: his dark blonde, combed back hair, handsome dark eyes, and a scar, cutting from the center of his forehead down his right cheek -- a mirror image of Squall's.

The gunblade was the only thing he needed to begin his journey. He took off the fishing vest and threw on his coat -- an aging, faded gray trench coat with a red cross embroidered on each arm. He loaded a fresh magazine into his gunblade and pocketed a few extras, closed and stored the case, and stepped back outside.

Seifer Almasy looked once more at the tornado, his eyes narrowed and calculating. He knew his task would take far more than just a lone man with a vendetta. He first needed to call on a few friends.

* * *

Nexi didn't really know where she was going anymore. After climbing back down to the street, she had wandered aimlessly for a while, paying little attention to the mess and ruin of the neighborhood around her. She knew she needed to return to Xu or Squall and report, but she was too overwhelmed by all she had experienced to do so. As the urgency of battle dissipated, she began to notice her own condition: tired, dirty, disheveled. Her ribs ached painfully where she had been kicked, her shins seizing with splints. She felt like curling up on a doorstep and falling into oblivious sleep.

A smell of burning nearby brought her attention back. Not half a block in front of her was an APC -- one of the enemy's. It was upside down, with flames billowing from the underbelly. Nexi was going to turn down an alley to avoid the danger when she heard a groan from under the vehicle. Someone was struggling to get out, crawling limply on their arms to escape the inferno.

Nexi hurried over as the man lost consciousness and fell flat. She pulled him a few inches at a time, coughing and flinching from the searing heat and acrid smoke, until she was able to get him to safety.

She rolled him over to assess his condition. He wore the blue uniform and armor chestplate of a G-Soldier, but his helmet was missing. She may have left him if he had looked anything like the bastard who nearly killed her before, but this soldier had a young face, almost a boy. He could have been Jason's or Atrop's age. He bled from a wound on his head and his voice was raspy; he could die at any moment.

Nexi acted quickly. She gripped her sword hilt and triggered paramagic. It took her a few tries before she was able to clear her mind enough, but she finally succeeded in forming a Cure spell. A green, strobing light floated in the air and descended into the man's chest. He sighed and relaxed, as if he had just been placed on soft, clean pillows instead of the rough and broken pavement underneath him.

He regained consciousness and blinked a few times, then looked to his savior. But after recognizing her as a foe, he suddenly became afraid and scrambled back on all fours. "Please! Mercy! Don't turn me over to that… that _witch_!"

Nexi shook her head, in dismay at the reason for his fright. "The battle is over -- we have a cease-fire. I don't see any reason to hold you, as long as you are peaceful."

The soldier stared at her, then stumbled to his feet. He limped away, checking behind him to make sure Nexi wasn't changing her mind.

He disappeared into an alleyway. Nexi stared after him for a moment, then slowly took in more of her surroundings. She saw rubble under and around the burning vehicle. Her eyes went up to the top of the nearby building and saw the whole corner near the roof was missing. Nexi went cold as she realized the vehicle must have hit the building after being hurled through the air by the tornado.

A tornado wrought from magic. Not the half-baked paramagic Nexi used, but pure, powerful magic as only a Sorceress could channel. 

A witch, he had called her. Nexi shuddered as she remembered the stormy dark form of Rinoa inside the tornado, her eyes offering none of the tenderness and affection Nexi knew her for, nor any other sign of humanity. 

She looked once more at the flaming vehicle and the building it had partially demolished. Rinoa… she was the one who did this.


	4. III. Waltz for the Moon

Three weeks later, a mid-morning sun shone brightly on Dollet. Squall stepped out of the hotel toward his limousine, his eyes wincing from the brilliant daylight. The bellhop was just closing the trunk after putting in Squall's travel case. The limousine engine started and the passenger door opened automatically, the driver waiting patiently to bring Squall to the station. From there, a private train car would take him home to the Garden.

The negotiations were finished, the peace deal signed and announced. Timber was now an independent state, and Galbadia a true democratic republic. The warlords had ceded all their power and authority to the newly formed government, with two conditions: they would be shielded from prosecution for certain war crimes, and Rinoa would never use her powers again on Galbadian soil.

Rinoa had been a sore topic of debate. Some factions wanted her banished completely from the continent, while others, like Rinoa's father, were more tepid about such a draconian measure. Squall was often put in the awkward personal position of defending Rinoa's rights while also respecting that SeeD was not a direct party of the negotiations, and therefore had no true say. They managed to settle that Rinoa would be allowed in Galbadia, but all travel itineraries must be submitted in advance to Deling City (soon to be rechartered as Galbadia City), and of course she must not use magic. The latter demand was easy enough to concede to, since Rinoa had no desire to use her powers at all. But Galbadia was Rinoa's home, and it took some time to convince the negotiating parties that she had no ulterior motive behind the basic right of free movement.

Squall sighed with relief. Well, he thought, all that was now behind them. He'd be back in Balamb before the evening, in time for the graduation ball the next day. After that, he and Rinoa might even be able to take a vacation...

" _ Squall! _ "

Squall froze just as he was about to enter the limousine. It was too late to escape now. He suppressed his irritation and turned to the person walking angrily toward him.

Quistis Trepe was still a beauty in her middle age. Her long, blonde bangs were parted to either side of her model face, draping down in front of the black and silver uniform of Galbadia Garden SeeDs. The rest of her hair was pinned up neatly behind her head. Her eyes were a steely blue, almost to the point of glowing with their own neon light. Her only sign of age was a very slight tautness in her cheeks, the fine lines in her skin barely noticeable.

But right now, she was glaring with fury; one could almost see the lightning storm dancing around in those alluring blue eyes. At the moment, it didn't matter to Squall how beautiful Quistis looked. It was obvious he was in trouble, like when he was a teenage schoolboy who once had her for his instructor.

"Headmaster Trepe, it's a pleasure to see you again. How may I…"

"Quit it with the lip, Squall," Quistis snapped at him. "Don't act like you don't know me." Squall stopped speaking and just looked at her silently, keeping his face as stoic as possible while waiting for her to get on with it.

The silence just seemed to irritate Quistis even more. Placing one hand on her hip, she leaned in and waved a finger accusingly at him. "What the  _ hell _ were you thinking, bringing Rinoa to Timber?!"

This again, thought Squall. Dealing with Cid and Caraway had been annoying enough, and now Quistis had to bring it up. Whatever, he thought. Let's get this over with.

"She was necessary," Squall answered matter-of-factly. "You know the odds were against us. We wouldn't even be here today if it wasn't for her. Peace would still be a pipe dream."

Quistis closed her eyes for a moment and pinched the bridge of her nose, shaking her head in disbelief. "But at what cost, Squall? Sure we have peace, but half the continent is terrified of her! Mark my words," she pointed condescendingly, "it would have been better to have no peace at all than to have exposed Rinoa."

Squall's patience was wearing thin. Rinoa saved their lives, and showed considerable personal courage while doing so. And if Timber had been lost, Quistis' forces would likely have been overwhelmed as well. 

Squall wondered at this. Quistis wasn't an idiot. Quite the opposite, in fact: she was brilliant, having become a SeeD at 15, an instructor by 17. She understood Rinoa's impact on the battle at least as well as he did. Why then was she being so combative?

"Quistis, are you sure this is about Rinoa?"

Squall realized as soon as he finished asking that he shouldn't have. Quistis knew what he meant. She stiffened, her azure eyes narrowing, changing from electrifying blue to cold as ice.

She took one step closer, until she was inches from Squall's face. Her reply seethed out venomously: "Don't you  _ dare _ make this about me." 

Squall kept his eyes locked with hers and showed no emotion, but even he paled inside as he regretted bringing up the unspoken topic.

Quistis shivered and stepped back, her voice calmer but no less accusatory. "You made the wrong choice, Squall. I just hope we don't all end up paying for it." Without another word, she turned on her heel and walked back into the hotel.

Squall let out his breath and looked down pensively to his side. Whatever her personal motivations were, at least she was straight with him, like the friend of old. She didn't dance around her intentions like Cid and General Caraway.

She was right about one thing: People  _ are _ scared. At least she herself evidently was, and so were Cid and Caraway. How many others?

Squall got into the limousine and ordered the driver to the train station. He would think about it later. Right now, he just wanted to go home. 

* * *

The graduation ball had always been a tradition at the Garden to honor recent SeeD graduates. But this time, the event was bigger. In addition to Balamb, a large delegation from Galbadia Garden would come to celebrate their shared victory together.

The party itself would be held in the grand ballroom like always, but would overflow into the neighboring quad. Large canvas pavilions were thrown up, with floating hardwood floors and large glass chandeliers suspended from the canopies.

As Squall arrived in the late afternoon, the staff were busy setting up all of the comforts that the guests would need: solid oak tables with silk cloths, round end tables, velvet chairs and couches for lounging. Squall carefully avoided the workers and made his way to the elevator. He pressed the call button and rode up and away from the bustle toward his apartments.

The elevator doors opened into the silent headmaster's office. Outside the windows, the afternoon sun bathed the distant hills with golden light while everything inside rested in quiet shadow. Squall went into the dark dining room, then beyond into his and Rinoa's quarters.

The first room was a finely furnished sitting lounge, with a dark green carpet, wooden wainscoting over soft yellow walls, and brown leather sofas around a low table. A gas-lit fireplace was set across from the sofas in a brick hearth. On one wall were three sketched portraits, one of each child, drawn in their first year as cadets. 

Over the hearth was a larger oil painting of the whole family, made only two years after the kids were adopted. Rinoa sat in her vanity stool in a robin egg blue dress. Squall stood tall in uniform behind her, his hand on her shoulder. A young Atrop, already up to Squall's chest and thin as a twig, stood by Squall's left hand, while Nexi stood behind Rinoa to her right. She hadn't been comfortable in the ruffled skirt they had pleaded with her to wear. Fable sat on Rinoa's lap with a broad, happy grin on her face. At their feet rested Angelo, the family's loyal companion. She had been a collie, with long brown and white hair and a proud animal face. When the poor dog died a few years ago, Rinoa was particularly touched when the student body erected a statue to her in the SeeD memorial garden.

This was where the family had spent most of their time together -- wrestling on the carpet, laughing while playing board games, or just sitting quietly, the five of them snuggled together on one couch as the fire lulled them to sleep. It had been awhile since this room saw so much activity, not since the kids had moved into the dorms with the other cadets.

Squall felt humidity in the air and smelled scented steam coming from the master bath. He walked into the bedroom and placed his luggage down on the large four poster bed. The bathroom door was slightly ajar, warm light spilling out into the darker bedroom. 

Squall hung his uniform coat on the back of the bedroom door and undid the top buttons of his shirt. He continued to the bathroom and slowly pushed in the door, steam curling around him as he entered.

The bathroom was magnificent. It was almost the same size as the bedroom, but every wall and floor was tiled with brown marble. Against one wall was the bath -- large enough for two people, with marble steps leading up to the deep black porcelain tub. It was filled to the brim with hot, steaming water. Rinoa lay in the bath, her head cradled in a lip of the tub, her eyes closed and her long black hair draped over the edge.

Squall watched for a moment, drinking in the sight of her, closing the door behind him without turning away his eyes. "Hello," he said, a faint tone of amusement in his voice.

Rinoa, her eyes still closed, smiled and hummed with pleasure. "Hello, sir," she whispered softly.

Squall walked slowly over to the head of the bath and rolled up his sleeves. He sat near the edge by Rinoa's head and grabbed a soft, natural sponge. Rinoa opened her eyes and sat up so that Squall could wash her. He collected her wet hair in his hands, draped it all over one shoulder, and massaged the sponge into her back. Squall was a man of few words, Rinoa knew, but he always spoke volumes through sweet, tender actions such as this one.

"How did it go?" Rinoa asked.

"As well as we dreamed it would. Timber is free now, and Galbadia is back on the right path." Squall dipped the sponge into the water to gather more suds. "I only wish they would see you the way I do."

Squall felt Rinoa's shoulders tense. She leaned forward in the water and hugged her knees to her chest. "They're afraid of me, Squall."

Squall was silent for a moment as he wringed the sponge. He got up to bring Rinoa a fresh robe. "Your father was supportive. In the negotiations, he said, 'Because of the future we are building now, Rinoa will have no need of sorcery.'"

"Ha!" Rinoa splashed the water as she rocked back. "What he really means is, 'Play along, or my daughter will blow you up.' That jerk… he better be careful or he'll end up like Deling."

Rinoa stood from the water, letting Squall enjoy the view of her nude body, before stepping down into the robe he held open for her. She turned away from him as her arms stretched into the robe, so she didn't notice the odd look Squall was giving her. Caraway ending up like Deling? Deling had ended up dead, suffocated by Edea while she floated him like a rag doll over a crowd of his frenzied subjects. Squall hoped Rinoa only meant the comparison as far as him becoming a tyrant.

He brushed aside Rinoa's hair to expose her long neck and kissed it gently. Rinoa softened, her eyes closing as she swooned with the sensation. She raised one hand to feel the hair behind Squall's neck. Wanting more, she spun around in Squall's arms and kissed him long and passionately on his lips.

But Squall, it seemed, had a little more conversation left in him. He looked closely into her eyes. "Your father loves you, Rinoa…"

Rinoa's face clouded with frustration. She turned away from Squall and walked to one of the sinks, made from polished granite. She grabbed a brush and combed her hair, checking her reflection in the large oval mirror on the wall.

"Yeah, just like he loved sending me to boarding school after mom died."

Squall leaned against a table of clean towels, his own face reflected to her in the mirror. "I think he feels the same way you do. He regrets letting his grief guide him into pushing you away. Maybe he thought he did the right thing back then, but he realizes now that he was wrong. Age changes people."

Rinoa had been staring thoughtfully as she listened to Squall. Now she looked back at his reflection. Yes, age does change people. She saw it changing Squall, as every day his hair became a little more gray, his face a little more care-worn, while hers stayed the same: unchanging, forever young. Ageless. 

She walked over to Squall and put her hand to his cheek, her eyes full of concern as she studied his features. 

"Age changes others, Squall. It doesn't change me." 

She didn't care what her father had said, or how he had "changed" with age. Around him, she would forever feel like the little, motherless girl for whom he was too much of a coward to care for alone. Squall, on the other hand… Rinoa felt as safe around him as any daughter would feel around a good father. He had been like that for her even when they were young, though maybe neither of them thought of it that way at the time. But now, every day, the slow march of time forced them further apart. And eventually, in what would be no time at all to her, they would be sundered.

Tears began to well up in Rinoa's eyes. Squall took her hand and kissed it consolingly, then held her in his arms. "I'm here, Rinoa," he said. "Stay with me, here and now. Where we all belong."

Rinoa had heard this many times before. Whenever Squall noticed her feeling overwhelmed, he was sure to remind her: now was the only moment that mattered; worrying about the future or lamenting about the past causes you to miss it. It was something that she in fact used to tell him, when they were younger, to save an emotionally closed Squall from shutting out the best moments in his life. But these days she was the one struggling to keep the philosophy, as the threat of eternity became ever more present in her mind. Now was slipping away... if only, she thought, there was a way to make now last forever.

But in the meantime, being in Squall's arms was the best therapy, better than those GFs she kept hidden in her jewelry closet. She was in the now, and what she wanted now was…

Rinoa tilted her head up and softly kissed Squall's ear lobe, nibbling it playfully. She felt him purr as he became aroused.

She leaned back and looked up at him with her teasing smile. "Are you busy this evening?"

"Not at all," smirked Squall. Rinoa laughed as he scooped her up by her legs and carried her into the bedroom.

* * *

The sun sank low as the first guests arrived in the ballroom. A twin marble staircase descended from the entrance to the polished, champagne colored tiles of the dance floor. Tall pillars stood on either side of the great hall, supporting an encircling second floor balcony. Columns of water fell down the front of each pillar, underlit by fluorescent blue light. The far side of the room had archways opening outside to the quad, and set above them was an enormous hemispherical window overlooking the red evening sky. 

The ballroom was already alive with casual gossip and the soft serenades of a violin quartet. Many people stood in various corners of the room or seated themselves on the periphery of the dance floor, sampling hors d'oeuvres or sipping beverages. 

Nexi, Atrop, and Fable were in a small anteroom near the entrance, waiting for Squall and Rinoa to come with their graduation gifts. Atrop and Nexi were seated together on a red velvet chaise, both dressed in their new SeeD uniforms. Fable, contrary to the custom for SeeD graduates, wore a long, wine red dress -- the very dress, in fact, that Rinoa's mother Julia had often performed in. Her shoulders, back, and arms were bare except for thin red straps woven across her shoulders and back. She was still a little too small for it, her bosom not quite grown out enough to fill the cups of the dress. But with a little padding and a few strap adjustments, it fit her well enough to turn heads. She twisted to and fro in front of a wall mirror, checking the flow of the dress and how Julia's pearl drop earrings hung from her ears.

Atrop shook his head. "You should be in uniform, Fable! No one will know you've graduated."

Fable shrugged. "Everyone who needs to know knows! Who cares about anyone else?"

"I think you do care, you just want them to know something different about you!" laughed Atrop. Fable winked at him and turned her attention back to the mirror.

Nexi didn't say a word and just sat, leaning back into the chaise with arms crossed, an empty expression on her face. Her manner was starting to bother Atrop a lot. Not that she had been much of a talker before, but ever since the exam she had been positively silent. Plus, she had been finding excuses to miss family meals. Atrop thought at first she was still shaken from the encounter at the railroad junction, but he had always seen her shrug off events like that. You had to be able to, after all, to be a SeeD. Something else must have hit her hard, way closer to home. 

He was determined to get to the bottom of it.

"Nexi, you want to tell me what's going on?"

Nexi at first didn't even move a muscle to acknowledge him. Eventually, she simply shook her head and continued staring.

Atrop was watching her, trying to think of another way to open her up, when the door to the anteroom opened and Rinoa and Squall entered. Nexi and Atrop rose, and Fable hurried over to them to stand at attention and salute.

Squall put them at ease immediately. "Well! The day has come. You are SeeDs now."

Rinoa came forward with their gifts. She was wearing a pearly white evening dress that ended at her thighs, her shoulders bare except for a single white strap that looped around her neck from the front. It was the same dress, in fact, that she had worn the very night she and Squall had met, at his own graduation ball. Hanging from her neck was a silver chain with two rings looped on it. One of those rings was Squall's -- the ring with a lion,  _ the _ lion, that inspired his Griever emblem.

Rinoa came to Fable first, who of course already had her earrings; she gave her a kiss and encouragement for her good looks. "Just promise me you'll play hard to get!" 

With Atrop, she had to stand on her toes to kiss him on the cheek. "Not fair! I'll have to stand on a chair to kiss you next time." She placed her hands in Atrop's palm, and when she pulled them away he found he was holding new cufflinks: gold with square-cut emeralds.

Rinoa went quickly to Squall and hid something behind her back, then returned to Nexi. "You're hard to shop for, darling. But we think we've got something you'll like!" She pulled out a black leather scabbard that matched her SeeD uniform, her Trinity gunblade sheathed inside.

Nexi gulped as she received the scabbard. It really was a well-thought and well-meant gift. But Nexi struggled to show warmth toward the woman she received it from. Rinoa leaned in to embrace her, but Nexi was tense as if she were hugging a stranger. She stiffly accepted the hug and stepped back, bowing curtly. "Thank you, Rinoa", she replied, with a strange coldness that she couldn't completely mask.

Rinoa stared back, confused and alarmed. Atrop looked at Nexi with his jaw open in complete shock, with more than a hint of apprehension in his eyes.

Fortunately, Headmaster Cid arrived to interrupt the moment. "Squall!" he said, happily oblivious to the situation. "I hope I'm not intruding to give my greetings?"

Squall bowed to the headmaster. "You are always welcome, sir."

Cid went to Rinoa and kissed her hand. "You look stunning as ever, Rinoa."

"You're not looking so bad yourself, Headmaster," Rinoa said with a playful wink.

"If only," Cid laughed out loud.

"And these are your graduates!" he stated proudly as he turned to Atrop, Nexi, and Fable. "I heard you fought quite the battle! My congratulations on your victory."

"Thank you, sir!" shouted the cadets together, saluting the venerable headmaster. 

Cid patted his stomach as he turned back to Squall. "Well! I beg your pardon, but an old man like myself needs his vittles. Shall we join the party? The night's young, but best not to waste it."

Squall smiled cordially and extended his hand to the door. "Of course, Headmaster. Please, after you."

* * *

As the ballroom got more crowded, the full orchestra arrived and began setting up for the dance. Nexi was leaning against a wall, nursing a glass of sparkling wine while casually watching the other people in the room. There were many SeeDs and cadets in uniform, either the charcoal gray of Balamb or jet black of Galbadia. But there were also many wearing other finery: dresses and suits, skirts with blouses, vests and collared shirts.

In one section of the hall she saw Squall and Rinoa with Quistis, Cid, and Xu. They seemed to be having a happy enough conversation, but she noticed Quistis was determined to avoid eye contact with Squall. She was cordial enough with Rinoa; Nexi wondered what that might mean, and if Quistis and Squall had had some kind of falling out.

Seeing Rinoa, Nexi felt a little guilty. She knew she had behaved badly in the anteroom, but even after weeks, she just couldn't shake the image of Rinoa the Sorceress. It was all she saw whenever she looked at her. It was like Rinoa was a complete stranger, now that her darker side was revealed. But Nexi couldn't bring herself to tell anything to Atrop or Fable; she didn't want to ruin the relationship they had with Rinoa.

There was a crash of a waiter's tray in another corner of the room. Two boys, cadets from Balamb by their uniforms, were angrilly confronting each other. Xu came up and dismissed them immediately, no doubt with a reprimand and a severe punishment waiting for them the next day. The boys left behind an embarrassed Fable, blushing furiously with her hand over her face. Xu appeared to be scolding her for something, but at least she wasn't being sent away. What trouble did she get herself into now?

"Nexi?"

Nexi looked away from Fable to see Jason standing with her, two glasses of white wine in his hand. "Nice to see you again! Will you share a drink with me?"

Nexi eyed the wine for a moment. Sure, why not? She placed her empty glass on a waiter's tray and took a new one from Jason's hand.

"I see congratulations are in order. A toast to your exam?"

"Thank you, yes," Nexi smiled thinly as they clinked glasses. "So you made it out of the forest okay?"

"I did. I thought we were goners when the tanks showed up, but the cease-fire came through before we really got tangled with them. I guess we have your mother to thank for that."

Nexi blushed and became silent. Jason tilted his head sideways and was about to ask more, when the orchestra started playing their opening piece:  _ Waltz for the Moon _ .

Jason smiled, his thoughts returning to what he really wanted to do tonight. He put down his glass and offered his hand. "May I have this dance?"

Nexi normally wouldn't have, but the wine had relaxed her enough to not be so self-conscious. Plus, she was feeling an odd sense of relief being friendly with someone new. Her relationship with Jason was like a blank slate, and she could keep things with him as simple as she wanted to. "Sure," she answered, her smile now more genuine.

They walked hand in hand to the dance floor and joined in the steps. Nexi could tell that Jason had some experience as a dancer. He automatically found the proper place for his hand on her back, and let her elbow rest comfortably on his. Nexi knew her way around too, thanks to lessons. Squall had required all cadets at Balamb Garden to take at least one ballroom dance course. That had always made Nexi curious -- she never thought Squall would be very much of a dancer.

As the waltz progressed, Nexi enjoyed it more and more. Jason led her well, and soon she wasn't even thinking about the steps. It felt more like floating rather than dancing. As they circled around the room, every care seemed to leave her mind. The other dancers blurred like a cloud as Jason became clear in every detail -- she could count every silver thread in the embroidery on his shoulders, every bright button shining on his chest. She saw in his face that he was as elated as she felt, his crystal blue eyes smiling as much as the rest of him.

As they relaxed into the rhythm of the waltz, Jason tried more conversation. "I hope you don't mind me prying Nexi, but you seemed a little distracted before."

Nexi didn't mind him prying. On the contrary, she felt like she wanted to open up with him, at least a little. "Yeah. I suppose I'm a bit nervous at home."

"Because of Rinoa?"

Nexi hesitated to answer at first, but she nodded.

Jason gave her a curious look -- inquisitive, yet guarded. "Maybe... you'd like to transfer? There's plenty of room at Galbadia Garden."

Nexi became more alert and looked directly into his eyes. She hadn't considered that before, and she would have flatly said no if anyone had asked her before the exam. But now, with the way she felt about Rinoa?

"...Maybe," Nexi said aloud. "I need to think about it."

Jason and Nexi stopped dancing suddenly. Atrop stood near them. He was respectful, but with an obvious tension in his manner. He blushed slightly and didn't make eye contact with Nexi or Jason.

"Nexi, can I talk to you?"

Nexi felt at an impasse. She didn't want to be callous to Atrop, but she also didn't want to stop dancing, nor offend Jason. She looked at Jason imploringly, and he nodded to her. "It's alright. Family comes first."

Atrop nodded curtly to Jason, then led Nexi out of the ballroom.

* * *

"I think I deserve a straight answer. What the heck was that all about in the anteroom?" 

Atrop had brought her to one of several private balconies overlooking the quad. Behind them, the ball was in full swing, the sounds of laughter and music mingling together. Outside on the balcony, night had fallen and the full moon had begun its steady rise, swallowing half of the horizon and illuminating the sky like dawn.

Nexi shook her head. "I told you, I don't want to talk about it."

"Don't want to talk about it!" Atrop replied, glowering like an angry hawk. "You practically blew her off! And now you're blowing me off too!"

Nexi felt flustered. She rested her elbows on the stone railing and held her head like she was dealing with a migraine. "Atrop, please! I can't tell you."

"Oh, but you can tell that guy down on the dance floor?"

Nexi glared. Bringing Jason into this was completely uncalled for. She slammed her hands on the railing and spun around to Atrop. "Fine! You want to know?! Rinoa is a monster, that's what!"

Atrop recoiled, astonished. "Nexi, what the hell are you--"

"You didn't see her, Atrop. I did! I saw her kill thirty people --  _ thirty people _ , Atrop -- in under a freaking minute! No expression, no remorse --  _ nothing _ !"

Atrop stared and blinked, not sure how to reply, not even sure he understood. Nexi perceived that. After all, how could you explain something like this, about someone you both love so much? You couldn't, and that's why Nexi hadn't wanted to try. And now that she had told Atrop, he was staring back at her as dumb as a cow, exactly how she feared he would. She screamed in frustration and threw her head down on the railing, her arms cast limply in front of her.

Atrop leaned slowly over the railing, staring at the moon. "...Huh. Well, alright… I guess if you feel that way, you feel that way. I mean, she's only our mother, after all," Atrop ended sarcastically.

Nexi's face turned almost into a snarl. "You think I don't know that?! Why do you think I feel the way I do? You think I  _ enjoy _ calling her a monster?"

"No," said Atrop firmly, turning back to her, "but you sure as hell aren't reacting right. She's _our_ _mother_ , Nexi. And we know her better than anyone. Yeah, she's a Sorceress; we knew that a long time ago! But it's all the more reason that we've got to _be_ there for her, right now!"

Nexi couldn't answer. Be there for who? The yellow-eyed phantom in the tornado? Nexi wanted to strike that creature with the hardest blow she could muster. But the mother who nurtured them, who gave them life and happiness? Nexi wanted to cling to her, to bury her face in her shoulder and cry out a fountain of tears. The problem was that both of them were inside the same woman. How was she supposed to handle that?

"Atrop? Nexi?" Fable's quiet voice came to them from the open doorway.

They turned quickly to Fable. Neither wanted her upset by this -- they knew how sensitive she was. Fable was hanging back by the side of the doorway, looking like she had been crying. Whether it was because of her scene in the ballroom or if she had overheard their fight, they couldn't be sure. "Hey sis, what's up?" asked Atrop gently.

"Auntie Ellone is here."

Atrop and Nexi both took a breath and looked at each other, silently forming a truce. They didn't want to miss out on time with Ellone.

* * *

Besides Squall and Rinoa, Ellone was undoubtedly the trio's favorite person in the world. They knew her as Squall's older sister, despite there being no blood relation. But when you grow up in a world of war, blood matters little compared to the other bonds you forge.

She lived far away in the country of Esthar. But throughout their youth, Ellone never missed visiting them on a holiday and exciting them with fantastic stories. When they were smaller, they marvelled in the comical adventures of Laguna Loire, their grandfather. At their bedside, they'd beg her to repeat the story when he fought a live dragon, believing the whole time it was just his friends Kiros and Ward inside of a movie prop. When they got older, they were even more awed by the surprising depth Ellone would weave into her tales. They'd press her to describe every detail and nuance, trying hard to find her limits, but her imagination and creativity seemed to know no bounds.

Tonight, Ellone and the three teens sat together for a long time under a gazebo on the quad lawn. Ellone wore her long white skirt, ideal for midsummer evenings. She had a blue blouse with a white collar, and over her arms was draped a thin grass-green shawl. She had lovely brunette hair, with beautiful brown eyes to match. If Rinoa was the modern paragon of beauty and class, Ellone hailed from an older, but not lesser, world of grace and elegance. She was charming, positive, and suave; simply put, she was a lady through and through.

Whatever had been stressing them out before, all three kids relaxed when they sat with Ellone. They spoke of everything: the technological advances of Esthar, the flora and fauna of the endless Grandidi forest, the mysteries of the ruined nation of Centra. 

At the moment, Atrop was gushing about his recent foray into amateur astronomy.

"You should see my telescope, Aunt Ellone! The guys at the junk shop found great lenses. If you point it at a pink spot on the moon, you can even see some of the bigger monsters moving around."

"It sounds like a much safer way to observe monsters!" offered Ellone with a laugh. "If any of your assignments bring you near Esthar, I can introduce you to Piet. He's the head of aerospace research. You'd learn a lot from him."

"Why couldn't Laguna come today?" pined Fable. "I really wanted to see him too!"

"Oh sweetie, he wanted to come, but he's getting quite old now and he is really busy. It's not easy being president of a whole country, you know -- especially one that's still recovering from a Lunar Cry."

Nexi was sitting off to the side, tracing the knots in the gazebo's wood floor with her heel. "Aunt Ellone, can you tell us again about the Lunar Cry? What happened back then?"

"Of course, Nexi." Ellone adjusted herself in her seat and folded her hands in her lap. "Well, you know the Lunar Cry is a natural occurrence, right? When the orbits of the earth and moon line up a certain way, the monsters on the moon gather and fall to the earth. It happens once every few decades. Most of the time, the Lunar Cry is harmless -- the monsters just fall into the ocean and drown. But sometimes it can be devastating."

"Like what happened in Centra, right?" asked Atrop.

"Yes," continued Ellone. "Centra's Lunar Cry was catastrophic. It was the largest one ever recorded, and it completely destroyed the entire Centra civilization. We're still learning about what happened, but we know that a large moon crystal, over a mile tall, fell onto Centra during the cry -- the Crystal Pillar, we call it. 

"One person who noticed the power of the Crystal Pillar was Sorceress Adel. In her lust for dominance, she commanded Esthar's subjects to excavate it. After extensive research, they were able to create a weapon by housing it in a towering black monolith..."

"...the Lunatic Pandora," said Nexi.

Ellone nodded. "It was garrisoned like a fortress, and it could move by hovering anywhere in the world. When it settled over its target it would induce a Lunar Cry, drawing thousands of monsters to the very spot. You can imagine the fear Adel instilled with just the threat of using it."

"Then Laguna came, right Auntie Ellone?" offered Fable.

"That's right," smiled Ellone. "He gathered a resistance to steal the Lunatic Pandora, and they sunk it beneath the sea. And when Adel came to investigate, he pushed her into a cryogenic chamber and froze her. Then they sent her into space and imprisoned her at a point between the earth and the moon. There she stayed for many years, kept safely from harming any more people."

"But then Rinoa came," observed Nexi.

Atrop shuffled uncomfortably and stared down hard at the floor. Fable looked from Atrop to Nexi and back, confused and scared as she wondered why they had grown silent. Ellone showed no reaction at all, but she studied Nexi for a long moment, watching her intently through half-lidded eyes.

"Yes. Squall had brought Rinoa to me, on the space station where they monitored Adel. She was in a coma, and Squall wanted my help." Ellone closed her eyes for a moment, pained by the memory. "He was so desperate. He didn't know what else he could do…"

She shook her head sadly. "Rinoa, it turned out, had been possessed by Ultimecia. By bringing Rinoa to the space station, Squall had done exactly what Ultimecia needed him to. She controlled Rinoa's body like a puppet and broke the seal on Adel's tomb. And back on earth, the Galbadians raised the Lunatic Pandora from the bottom of the sea and triggered it over Esthar. 

"The Cry brought down a torrent of monsters, and with them came Adel, under Ultimecia's control. Esthar City was completely overrun. If Squall and his friends hadn't returned to earth, infiltrated the Lunatic Pandora and fought Adel and Ultimecia… certainly none of us would be here today."

Fireworks erupted on the other side of the quad, accompanied by loud cheers. Fable perked up, thrilled to have something distract her from the gloomy conversation. "Can we go see?! Let's go!"

Fable grabbed Atrop's hand and half pulled him, half dragged him out of the gazebo. Nexi got up and was about to follow.

"Nexi? May I speak with you a little longer?"

Nexi let out a breath. What could this be about? "Of course, Aunt Ellone."

Ellone smiled sweetly. "There's no need to stay here. Let's walk a little so we won't miss the fireworks."

Nexi and Ellone stepped out of the gazebo and took a slow stroll along the tall hedges bordering the quad. It was dark and serene here, even with all the festivities behind them. Fireflies were putting on their own show as they danced in and out of the hedge.

"I couldn't help but notice that you're not yourself tonight," began Ellone. "Did anything… happen to you in Timber?"

Nexi looked at Ellone, puzzled. Did she know? But how could she know? Nexi hadn't told anyone, not even Squall, about her experience seeing Rinoa from the rooftop. Still, Nexi thought, this is what Ellone was good at -- understanding things about people. And if there was anyone she could trust to know the whole story, it was her. Nexi told her everything, from the moment she saw the enemy reinforcements from the hilltop, all the way through the unfortunate soldier trapped under the vehicle.

Ellone listened without interrupting, not showing any surprise at Rinoa's display of power, nor passing any judgement on Nexi's own actions.

She was silent for a while, even after Nexi finished speaking. "And you, Nexi? How are you feeling?"

Nexi sighed. "Like I've been betrayed. Like I've been lied to my whole life."

Ellone nodded slowly. "Rinoa never wanted you to see this side of her. I don't blame you for losing faith. But it doesn't make the rest of your time with her a lie."

Ellone placed her hand on Nexi's shoulder. "You had a good childhood, one of the best any child could dream of in this hard world. And that's because of Squall and Rinoa, and your brother and sister. We must hold onto our fondest memories of them, because..." Ellone paused, her eyes softening with sorrowful pity. "Because a time will come when those memories will be all we have left."

Nexi looked sadly down. Ellone was right, she knew. She had had good things in her life, and all good things come to an end. She only lamented that they would end so soon.

The fireworks thundered across the sky in a grand finale. Loud cheers and applause rose up from the crowd as the scintillating pieces of the last rocket floated down.

"Well!" exclaimed Ellone. "That was lovely. I'm ready to find the others. Would you like to?"

"Thank you, no," said Nexi. "But I might join you a little later."

"Okay." Ellone held both of Nexi's hands. "Don't you worry. You'll figure this out."

Ellone waved a fleeting goodbye as she turned away, leaving Nexi to reflect alone.

* * *

After leaving Ellone, Nexi's first thought was to hook back up with Jason. But after a fruitless search for him in the ballroom and the quad, she left the party and walked the grounds, feeling lonely and a little depressed.

As she wandered in the dark and empty atrium, she heard the clicking of heels. Coming from the quad, Nexi saw none other than Rinoa, walking briskly. Nexi was on the far side of the atrium and in relative darkness, so Rinoa didn't see her. 

Rinoa walked up to the elevator and pressed the button for the top floor. She didn't look like she had anything particular on her mind -- probably just fetching something from her room, Nexi guessed. The elevator doors opened, accepted Rinoa, and closed, leaving Nexi alone once more.

Nexi took a deep breath. She was tired of being scared of Rinoa, of trying to keep her distance. She wanted to feel close to her again. Now seemed as good a time as any to talk with her one on one, apologize for earlier and share her feelings.

Nexi walked up to the elevator and pressed the call button. Nothing. She looked above the door and saw the elevator was being held at the top. Odd, Nexi thought. Rinoa didn't usually do that.

Being her childhood playground, Nexi knew a thing or two about how the Garden worked. She went around the pillar to a maintenance box and punched in the unlock code. Inside, she found the elevator system console and entered an override command. The machinery kicked in, whirring inside the pillar as it brought the elevator back down to the atrium.

Nexi stepped into the elevator. As she rose higher, her uneasiness grew stronger. Something definitely felt wrong, though she couldn't put her finger on what. Her hand slowly fell to the hilt of her gunblade, sheathed in the scabbard that Rinoa had only given to her that evening. As the elevator approached the headmaster's office, Nexi programmed its doors to remain open and killed the lights in the cab.

The doors opened. Everything in the office was dark, practically pitch black, but all was backlit by the ponderous moon facing her from outside the windows. It flooded everything with its bright, silvery light, outlining the edges of each dark object with crystal clarity. The only other light was the occasional blue pulse from the Garden's halo, hovering not far above.

Nexi felt an unusual breeze in the room, and that's when she noticed she could see through one window more clearly than the others -- the glass had been removed. Then, she heard grunts and whispering. Several dark silhouettes shuffled out from the dining room. It looked like they were trying to carry something. Or someone.

Nexi gasped as one of the silhouettes noticed her in the elevator door. There was a shout, and spells suddenly rocketed toward her. She hastily raised a Reflect spell; green light rippled in the air as the incoming fire was deflected into the walls and ceiling. But the intruders adapted quickly; almost immediately, Nexi felt her barrier being drained by strong Dispel magic. Her defenses would be gone if she didn't act fast.

She retreated into the elevator just as her ward failed. But crouching for cover behind the console, she hammered her palm into the emergency alarm. Bright lights came on in the room and bells sounded across the entire Garden.

Nexi could see everything now. The intruders were dressed like Galbadian soldiers, but their faces were covered by cloth masks -- Nexi couldn't even be sure of their gender. One of them was holding either a sword or a gunblade, but she didn't get a closer look because at that moment, her heart jumped into her throat: in the arms of the other two soldiers was Rinoa, limp and unresponsive.

Despite the sudden light and sound, the assailants were startled only for a second. " _ Go! _ " shouted the one with the sword. He, at least, sounded like he must be a man. The other two ran up to the open window where Nexi could clearly see a zipline had been rigged. The first soldier threw a short chain around the line and jumped out. The second, a particularly big and burly individual, slung Rinoa's entire body over one shoulder, and with only one free hand looped another chain and followed.

The last soldier had kept Nexi pinned in the elevator with a relentless volley of fireballs. He took the last chain and made his escape, glancing back only to give Nexi a taunting salute before leaping out.

As the soldier jumped, Nexi raced to the window. The zipline stretched steeply down from the office, all the way across the campus to the roof of the parking garage. The sheer height almost made her dizzy. But there was no time; she needed to follow them. Nexi took off her uniform jacket, only keeping on her white undershirt. She flung the jacket over the line, caught the other sleeve, and jumped.

The cool air slapped Nexi's face and bare arms as she slid down the zipline. The jacket snagged and jolted as it twisted itself, bouncing Nexi off and on the line; she thought of nothing else except gripping the sleeves for dear life. But the uniform eventually contorted into a smoother, rope-like shape, and Nexi slid more easily. She accelerated faster and faster over the grounds, people running far below her in confusion from the alarms. She soon smelled burning coming from her uniform, fearing that at any moment the fabric might snap and send her plummeting.

The last intruder reached the garage roof. Seeing Nexi following, he took his sword and cut the line with a single slash. But Nexi didn't lose her head. She let go and fell through the air toward a green lawn, 60 feet below. But as she fell, she quickly prepared a Float spell and cast it beneath her. The cushion of air softened her impact as she tucked herself into a roll. She finished the daring joyride unharmed, kneeling on the grass, gunblade drawn.

The soldiers and Rinoa were gone from the parking garage roof, but she could hear the squeals of escape vehicles as they sped down the floors to the exit. In between floors, Nexi caught glimpses of three small pickup trucks, the soldiers and Rinoa lying in the open beds. Nexi sprinted to the front gate where the garage tunnel exited. She just made the curb when she saw the trucks accelerating fast from the tunnel, engines roaring. With no time for anything else, Nexi leapt into the middle of the road as she whipped up a Protect barrier around herself.

Protect magic was meant to ward physical damage, but Nexi's unorthodox use of the spell produced some strange results. The lead truck slammed into her, flipping up as if it had crashed head-on into a pole. The passengers in the truck bed were catapulted forward. Nexi herself was sent bouncing down the road like a magic marble until she slammed into the exterior wall of the Garden. Lying face down and a little stunned, she looked up dizzily from the grass. She breathed a sigh of relief as she saw Rinoa had landed unharmed, curled up on the springy turf in front of the Garden wall.

Nexi pushed herself up from the ground and ran straight for Rinoa, but she suddenly felt herself slowing, like she was running sluggishly through a bad dream. She saw from the corner of her eye one of her enemies with their hand raised, holding her in a Slow spell, as others ran to recapture Rinoa and finish their escape. Nexi forced her gunblade up, struggling as if swinging her arm through a tub of molasses. She aimed at one of the soldiers lifting Rinoa, hoping to empty her barrels at them… if they were going to get away with Rinoa, she would at least make them bleed.

Suddenly from right behind her, she heard a loud cry. A man was shouting -- or was he roaring? -- with so much rage that it left Nexi trembling. And then she saw him: Squall, leaping from the wall, his gunblade held high above him. His eyes were terrible and furious, like a wild animal. The gunblade glowed searing hot as if he had just pulled it out of a forge. When he landed and slammed the sword down, the ground exploded ahead of him, erupting in a straight line from the blade all the way across the lawn.

The assailants were thrown into the air by the blast, tossed clear from where Rinoa lay. And then over the wall came Nexi's siblings. Atrop landed on one side of Rinoa, his fists raised. He had no weapon, but as long as he had one working limb in his body, he would use it to protect Rinoa. On the other side came Fable. She was barefoot, having cast her heels aside, her stance wide. One hand held Julia's dress up to her thigh. In her other hand was her ball and chain, swinging above her like a propeller. Her face was grim, her eyes piercing, daring any of the enemy to come between her and her mother. Out from the main gate ran more SeeDs, with Xu and Zell in the lead.

The assailants knew they didn't have a chance now. They cast a Blind spell, covering themselves with a black fog. When it dissipated, the trucks could be seen speeding away over the hills, none of the injured enemy left behind.

Nexi stumbled forward as she was released from the Slow spell. She looked up at her family, making eye contact with Atrop. He was breathing hard, but he nodded approvingly at Nexi -- he held no blame or anger for her anymore. 

Squall stood, quickly bottling up his fury to take command. "Zell", he ordered, "take a party in pursuit, but be cautious -- they may have laid an ambush. Atrop, find Dr. Kadowaki immediately. Tell her I will meet her in the infirmary."

Squall went to Rinoa and knelt, laying his gunblade down on the grass. He gently lifted her, cradling her body in his arms as if she was a child. He turned and walked toward the main gate, looking straight ahead and not making eye contact with anyone. As he walked past her, Nexi thought she saw a single tear stream down his cheek.

As Squall disappeared into the Garden, Nexi looked to where the trucks had gone, beyond the hills toward the moonlit sea. Whatever she had been feeling about Rinoa, someone clearly felt much worse. 

This Sorceress situation, she realized, was far more complicated than she had thought.


	5. IV. The Mission

Zell took a party of SeeDs and followed the trucks to the ocean. No sign was left of the intruders except for boat marks in the sand, the trucks left abandoned. An investigation at the Garden turned up little; the assailants didn't appear anywhere in the security footage, and the zipline was made from surplus parts available at any junk shop. Nexi, the only close witness, couldn't offer more than that the assailants were dressed as Galbadian soldiers, one was big, and another was a man with a bladed weapon.

This was the state of affairs when Nexi, Atrop, and Fable were called to the headmaster's office, just after dawn. They stood to attention not in the office itself, but in the conference room next to it. The office walls, Nexi saw, had suffered damage from the Fire spells thrown at her. A crew was busy replacing and repainting the charred drywall.

Squall looked exhausted. It was as if he had aged 10 years in a single day. The bags under his eyes were thick, and he moved slowly as he rose from his seat to address the SeeDs. But he still did his best to communicate confidence, standing tall, his hands clasped behind his back.

"At ease."

The three relaxed their stance. Fable couldn't help but speak first, holding back tears. "Please, sir, can we see Rinoa?"

Squall's shoulders visibly sagged. He looked down at the conference table standing between them. "I'm sorry, Fable. She is not in a state to see anyone right now."

Fable swallowed back her disappointment. Squall saw that Nexi and Atrop also looked dejected. All three, however, said nothing and remained standing, awaiting their orders, just as they had been taught. Squall, in spite of the circumstances, felt immensely proud of them.

It was time to get to business. "I am assigning you your first SeeD mission. It's not what I had originally planned for you, but I wouldn't trust anyone else to execute it.

"You are to continue the investigation into this kidnapping attempt. Find out everything you can about who is responsible and what their intentions are. Nexi, you are squad leader. Report to me directly with any progress via secure message."

"Sir," asked Atrop, "are we going to Galbadia? The soldiers had those uniforms…"

Nexi shuffled slightly. Squall shook his head. "The uniforms are less of a clue than you may think, Atrop. It's been fairly easy to acquire Galbadian gear, from black markets and the like, ever since the collapse of the Sorceress state."

"But, where do we begin then?"

Squall walked around the table to a low cabinet and brought something from it. "Perhaps, this will help."

He placed an odd device on the table. It looked like a thick, chrome bangle, with a flower-like ornament made of delicate purple petals and a large blue orb. But looking closely, they could see the orb was transparent; under the dark blue glass was a network of circuits and wires. It hummed softly with electrical current.

"This is an Odine bangle," began Squall. "Dr. Kadowaki and I found it on Rinoa's arm. We think it suppressed her powers and rendered her unconscious."

"Odine… of Esthar?" asked Nexi.

"The same." Squall took a breath. "I can't guess how deeply he is involved in this. The man is… eccentric. But the odds are he knows who procured this bangle from him. He should be able to put you on their trail. 

"I have sent notice to President Loire that you will be coming and secured diplomatic credentials for you. You should be allowed free movement in Esthar and access to Odine, so long as you don't take too many liberties."

Nexi couldn't help but smile at how Squall referred to Laguna as "President Loire". To this day, Squall could barely be made to call him Laguna, let alone Father. From the brief moments she had met Laguna and from all the stories Ellone had told them, it was obvious why. The two men were as opposite from each other as a circus clown from a tiger.

"There is... one other thing I would like you three to look into." Squall went to the cabinet again, this time lifting an old book. He came around the table and handed it to Nexi. The volume was made of dusty brown leather, the edges of the yellow pages crumbling inside. The cover read:  _ Tales of the Great Hyne _ .

"It's about the legend of Hyne, the first Sorcerer according to myth. No doubt much of it is useless doggerel, but if there's some way to help your mother… maybe it's in there."

Nexi accepted the book with a bow. "Sir, we will do everything we can to find the perpetrators and help Rinoa."

Squall nodded. "I have no doubt you will." He saluted. "Good luck, all of you."

The three SeeDs returned the salute. Atrop and Fable exited the room, but Nexi lingered.

"What is it, Nexi?"

She swallowed. "Sir, when I fought the intruders, I couldn't help but think that they were good. I mean, really good. Do you think…"

Squall eyed Nexi inquisitively. "Yes?"

"...Do you think they could be SeeD, sir?"

Squall had just turned to walk around the table, but he froze at Nexi's question, his gaze hard and distant. "I think, Nexi," he said slowly, "that you should trust absolutely no one on this mission."

Nexi hesitated before nodding, the gravity of the situation weighing heavily on her. But she knew her task. She stood straight, saluted once more, and left the room.

* * *

Squall went from the office directly to his quarters. In the family room, a low fire burned that he had set only a couple of hours before. The window blinds were closed, the room in relative darkness. 

Sitting up on the sofa was Rinoa. She was still in her evening dress, her bare feet curled up beneath her as she hugged her legs to her chest. She was shivering despite the blanket Squall had covered her with.

Squall hesitated, overwhelmed by his inner pain at seeing Rinoa in this state. He came to the sofa and sat down next to her. Rinoa didn't look at him; she just kept staring into the fire, the flames dancing in her vacant eyes. Her cheeks were stained with dried tears.

"They're afraid of me, Squall. They're afraid of me and now they want to take me away."

Squall didn't know what to say. She was right, of course. There was no other way to interpret the events.

"...Maybe."

Rinoa shuddered and leaned into Squall, who put his arm around her shoulder. "Even our children are afraid of me. Like… the one…"

Rinoa stared at the family painting above the mantle, unable to recall her child's name. She absent-mindedly rested her hand on Squall's knee, where he saw that she had not one, but three jeweled rings on her fingers -- three Guardian Forces. Squall groaned quietly. He knew Rinoa relied on them to help her through the panic attacks, but he had been encouraging her to avoid them -- their side-effects on long term memory were well-documented. 

Taking them off at the moment, Squall knew, would do far more harm than good. "You're talking about Nexi?"

She nodded. "She's been avoiding me ever since Timber. And how she reacted last night... Squall, I can't lose them!" Rinoa forced the last words out, smothering her fresh tears in Squall's shoulder.

Squall held her in his arms, rocking her gently. "Nexi was the one who saved you, Rinoa."

Rinoa stopped shuddering and sniffled. "Really?"

Squall nodded. "She followed you up the elevator, surprised your kidnappers, and pursued them all the way to the gate. She even threw herself in front of a moving car for you. I've rarely seen such devotion, even from SeeDs."

Squall gently brushed the hair away from Rinoa's face so he could look directly in her eyes. "It may take time, Rinoa, but Nexi will come around. She's with you. We all are."

* * *

The young SeeDs wasted no time preparing themselves for their mission. To not be so conspicuous on their travels, they left behind their uniforms and dressed casually. 

Atrop sported a black T-shirt, fitting comfortably under his gun-arm, and olive cargo pants. To travel lighter, he removed much of the armor plating and some of the hydraulics from the gun-arm. It offered less strength than the full configuration, but it was slim enough that he could conceal it underneath a gray bomber jacket. He was still armed with his submachine gun, along with a few other surprises.

Fable wore a white corduroy jumper that went halfway down her thighs, over a forest green, short-sleeve blouse. She kept her ball and chain in a large green handbag. To give her some initiative in combat, the handle of the handbag had a paramagic amplifier she could use to cast spells quickly.

Nexi dressed in khaki riding tights -- very comfortable for fencing and acrobatics. Over her white blouse she wore a double-breasted coat of brown, worn leather. Unlike the other two, Nexi wore her gunblade and dirk openly on her hips, since it wasn't uncommon for travelers to be armed with swords.

Fully equipped, the trio went to meet Xu at the parking garage. Xu hadn't slept all night, but she didn't look tired -- it wasn't the first time that a crisis at the Garden had kept her awake, and nor would it be the last.

"Here," Xu said as she handed Nexi a large packet. "These are your passports and credentials for Esthar. There's also credit cards pre-authorized for 30,000 gil a-piece -- that should cover your transportation costs and any room and board."

"What if we run out?" asked Fable.

"You can request more funds. The cards are also linked to your personal bank accounts where your salary is deposited." Xu eyed Fable suspiciously. "I  _ will _ be monitoring your purchases. No extravagances with the Garden's gil, Missy."

"Of course not, ma'am!" answered Fable. But she did blush a little. Nexi made a mental note to hang on to Fable's card for a little while.

Xu shook her head and continued her brief. "Use only secure terminals to communicate with us. Private booths in banks and train stations are best. Always check your surroundings and the integrity of the terminal. Any questions?"

"No, thanks Xu," replied Nexi. She slipped the packet into a small knapsack she kept slung around her back. "How soon can we leave?"

"The next train departs Balamb station in 30 minutes. You should be able to get there if you leave now."

Xu thought for a moment to see if she had missed anything. Satisfied that she hadn't, she nodded. "Remember, you represent the Garden while you are out there. Your actions are a reflection on all of us, so please act accordingly. And… good luck."

The three saluted. Xu returned their salute and walked briskly away, her mind already occupied with other Garden matters. Nexi admired Xu. She worked harder than a machine, and the Garden wouldn't be half of its worth without her.

The SeeDs boarded a shuttle for Balamb station. From the road, Nexi saw the ocean across the fields, the water sparkling from the bright morning sun as a fresh sea breeze came through the shuttle windows. They passed into Balamb town under a stone archway. The roads were paved with gray cobblestone, but most of the buildings were made from coquina. As they drove close to the walls, Nexi could see the pulverized shell pieces blended throughout the sand-colored rock.

The shuttle arrived at the train station, where a low flight of stairs climbed to a small ticket booth and gate. After purchasing their tickets, they went through the gate to the single platform where their train was waiting idly.

As they boarded, there was no conductor to check their tickets. Instead, they came onto a special car with a door locked by a ticket scanner. They swiped their tickets, opening the door to the other cars. They found their cabin just as the train's bells began to ring. The horn winded and the train departed -- toward the underwater tunnel to Timber, where the SeeDs would then transfer to an intercontinental train bound for Esthar.

* * *

> "Once upon a time, there was a god named Hyne. Hyne was the ruler of the world. He became lazy and decided to make a tool to make his life easier. Hyne made a neat tool. His tool could make more tools by itself. Soon there were a lot of tools in the world. These tools were actually people. While the people worked, Hyne became tired and slept.
> 
> When Hyne woke up, he was surprised because there were a lot of people. Hyne wanted to reduce the number of people, and used magic to burn up a lot of small people. The small people were children. The people cherished the children very much. So the people rebelled against Hyne. Hyne used powerful magic to fight them. The people couldn't use magic, but they had wisdom.
> 
> Eventually, Hyne began to lose the war, because there were too many people to fight, and they were getting smarter. Therefore, he decided to make peace with people by offering them half of his body along with his powers. Hyne cut his body in half and gave the people half as he promised.
> 
> Then, another war started. People began to fight over the power Hyne offered them through his body. This war lasted decades. Finally, King Zebalga and the Zebalga tribe emerged victorious and demanded Hyne's body-half to get its powers. But the body ignored their commands.
> 
> Then, Sage Vascaroon came to the rescue. He appeared before the confused Zebalgas and revealed to them that Hyne's body-half was corrupt and possessed no real power. The body-half was actually Hyne's cast-off skin. The Zebalgas were angered by this truth, and decided to destroy Hyne. The Zebalgas never found Hyne. People began to call him "Hyne the Magician" and continued to hunt him for centuries to come."

Nexi put down the old book and leaned back in her seat, reflecting. The windows were dark, the cabin light on as they rode under the ocean.

"Right?" Atrop chimed. "That's a weird one, to be sure."

"I think Hyne is horrible!" commented Fable. "Killing all those children!"

Nexi shrugged. "To him, they weren't children. He saw them as his tools, to use and to discard. He probably thought no more about killing those children than I do about throwing away a spent clip, or Atrop a worn screw."

Fable blushed deeply. "I still think he's horrible…"

Nexi nodded. So do a lot of people, she thought.

Atrop sat, puzzling about the tale. "What could be in here to help Rinoa?"

"No idea," answered Nexi. "To be honest, I think Squall's right. It  _ is _ a bunch of doggerel. It's a fascinating tale, of course, but it has no bearing on our mission."

Atrop looked down. "I don't want to give up on it yet. There must be  _ something _ …"

Fable scrunched her knees to her chest, much the same way Rinoa did when feeling vulnerable. "I don't want Rinoa to be a Sorceress," she said flatly.

Nexi watched them both for a moment. That, she saw, was what drove them: the hope that they would find something to "cure" Rinoa of her powers and get everything back to normal. Nexi felt sympathy for Atrop and Fable, but she didn't agree with them -- nothing would ever be "back to normal" for their family anymore. Words from a fairy tale certainly weren't going to help.

Still, Nexi thought, she didn't have to be a buzzkill about it. If the thought of saving Rinoa was what motivated them, then so be it. It wouldn't be a problem for accomplishing their task. Not yet, anyway.

Nexi handed the book to Atrop. "You better keep it. We don't know much now, but maybe we'll learn more as we go."

Atrop nodded, staring at the cover for a second longer before pocketing it.

The windows brightened with sudden daylight; they had cleared the tunnel. An intercom came to life with the chimes of soft bells. "Next stop, Timber. Please gather your belongings and exit at any open door. Again, this stop is Timber…"

* * *

In the few short weeks since the cease-fire, Timber had become a whole new town. People hadn't waited for an official declaration of independence; they returned to the city in droves, the once-abandoned buildings turning into homes, shops, and businesses. The city was almost growing  _ too _ fast, as people ignored city ordinances and set up shop on any open sidewalk. The young Timber government was overwhelmed trying to maintain order with the influx of migrants.

This was all extremely obvious to Nexi, Atrop, and Fable, given that Timber was a ghost town during their exam. Motorized carts buzzed to and fro across the station as they brought goods from trains that waited at every platform. Throngs of people slowed traffic as they made their way in and out of the main entrance. When the SeeDs finally got out of the station, they could see the same level of activity down every street and boulevard. Even the buildings themselves were animated -- from where they stood, they could see train-themed cogs and gears spinning on the roof of the Timber Hotel. 

The Esthar-bound train didn't leave until noon. The SeeDs had an hour or so to spare, so they stopped at a new cafe not too far from the station. Fable nearly tripped as she carried away a tray with two full meals and an extra dessert. She joined Nexi and Atrop, standing with their trays while looking for an open table in the busy dining area. 

Nexi eyed Fable's loaded plate. "You don't think that's going a little overboard?"

Fable pouted. "I'm hungry, that's all!"

"Hold on," said Atrop. "Do you see that guy waving at us?"

All the way across the room, a man in a yellow vest was seated alone at a table, beckoning to them. He was doing so secretly, with quick little waves and furtive glances at the people around him.

Nexi eyed him suspiciously. "Who do you think he could be?"

"I think I saw him during our exam, in the control room with Squall and Rinoa. I guess he's a friend."

The three looked at each other and nodded, then walked over to the man. 

"I'm glad I got your attention, sirs. Please sit with me." The three sat down.

Up close, they could see he was a somewhat older man. His watch cap was a faded dark blue, and his face had a thin layer of unshaven beard. But his eyes were sharp and youthful, green with a boyish sparkle in them. 

"Please, sir," Nexi began. "You seem to know us, but who are you?"

"Watts, ma'am, at your service." Watts removed his watch cap, revealing somewhat long, sandy hair. He placed the cap to his chest and bowed slightly. "I served Rinoa and the Forest Owls in the struggle for Timber's independence."

"I see," said Nexi, recognizing the name of the old resistance group. "It must be an exciting time for you, Timber being free and all."

"Indeed it is, ma'am, but we remain vigilant -- we don't want to lose what we've gained. That's why I called you over, if you understand me."

"I'm sorry, we don't," said Atrop. "What's going on?"

Watts leaned across the table and lowered his voice. "There's a new faction in town -- they only started spreading their name a week or two ago. They're an anti-Sorceress group. It seems Rinoa's stunt to save Timber didn't sit too well with them."

Nexi stirred uncomfortably. "This group," she asked, "who are they?"

"They call themselves The Lost Children, ma'am."

Atrop gulped and looked across at Nexi. "The Lost Children… of Hyne?"

Nexi nodded. In the context of an anti-Sorceress group, the name couldn't refer to anything else. If these people chose to name themselves this way, in memory of the countless children destroyed by Hyne, it could only mean that they wanted an end to all sorcery, and they were probably willing to achieve it by any means necessary.

Fable looked nervous -- not for herself, but for Rinoa. "What'll they do?"

"Right now, ma'am, they're being very secret," explained Watts. "They're circulating pamphlets and posters throughout the city, but no one sees who is putting them out. I've got one here, if you want to look at it."

Watts pulled out a folded paper from his vest pocket and laid it on the table. On its cover was traced an outline of a girl's head, but with no facial features except for a gag where her mouth should be. Beneath this simple but disturbing logo was a title:  _ A Message from The Lost Children _ . Inside the pamphlet was an unsigned letter:

> Valiant citizens of Timber:
> 
> The battle for independence is complete, but the war to preserve your life and liberty has only just begun. A new threat has emerged, one that draws on ancient magic of the forgotten past to subdue you and enslave you. It cared nothing about you before, and it cares nothing about you now. It only craves your unwavering obedience to serve its will.
> 
> It revealed itself to you on the day you won your freedom, trying to buy your loyalty by defeating your enemies. But you are not a fool. You know it holds one hand out to tempt you, while its other holds the net to ensnare you.
> 
> This threat has committed thousands of atrocities against you. When it was called Adel, it stole your daughters from their beds and built a weapon which humbled all other weapons. When it was called Edea, it usurped your government and led a ruthless campaign of destruction and hysteria. 
> 
> Now that the threat has a new name, what will it do? What will  _ you _ do to stop it?

Fable's hands trembled with rage as she finished reading. "Those ungrateful-- stupid--  _ boobs! _ After all we did for them? After all  _ Rinoa _ did for them?!"

"Please keep your voice down, ma'am," Watts whispered urgently as he glanced around the busy dining room. "They could be listening to us right now."

"But seriously, this is awful," interjected Atrop. "Things are going great for Timber. Why on earth would they put this out now?"

Nexi stared down into her cup of coffee. "It's a call to arms. They want to persuade the people against Rinoa. That way, they'll have political cover for any future action they take."

"Like what?"

Nexi shook her head. "I don't know…"

The shadow of the previous night's argument came to Atrop's mind. "But you agree they're wrong? Wrong to do this to Rinoa?"

Nexi looked into his eyes and saw the test there. Her real feeling was that, although they were misleading and presumptuous, nothing the Lost Children said was strictly untrue. Adel  _ did _ kidnap hundreds of little girls, in many cases killing their parents in the act, and most of them were never returned. The Lunatic Pandora as the weapon she created resoundingly spoke for itself. As for Edea, she certainly usurped Galbadia's power, and ordered its military on a bloody offensive against SeeDs and all who harbored them.

But then Nexi remembered the night before -- Rinoa's unconscious body strewn on the grass, agents of the Lost Children (she now presumed) coming to steal her away from all who loved her. She remembered the looks on Atrop and Fable's faces, how they would rather die over her body than let her be taken from them. And then there was Squall. Forget about the power in his blade, and the rage in his voice… the look in his eyes alone was enough to make the boldest cower -- a ferocious, beastly look that seemed like it could rend flesh with only its gaze. Atrop and Fable might have died for Rinoa, but Squall looked ready to kill -- he'd slash and rip and tear down all of her enemies, even from beyond the grave, until none were left to harm her.

Nexi wasn't sure where in that spectrum her beliefs landed. The threat from sorcery was genuine, and something had to be done about it. But when the sorceress was your own mother?

"The Sorceress dilemma is still a problem for us," Nexi began, "...but the Lost Children don't have the answer. We must do everything we can to stop them."

Atrop let out a quiet sigh of relief, but Nexi looked away. What she had answered wasn't completely how she felt. However, her loyalty to Squall and her siblings was stronger, for the moment, than her fear and loathing of Rinoa's sorcery.

A pendulum clock on the wall chimed 11:45. They had to beat the crowd and catch their train.

"Watts, I'm sorry, we have to leave, but thank you for the information. Can you send word of any further developments to the Garden?"

Watts rose and stretched his cap back onto his head. "No worries, ma'am. Gathering information is my specialty."

The three SeeDs left Watts and exited the cafe, merging into the busy pedestrian traffic. "He's a nice guy," said Fable. "I can see why Rinoa's friends with him."

"I'm glad he still  _ is _ a friend," said Atrop. "This Lost Children stuff doesn't sound good at all."

"No, it doesn't," agreed Nexi. "But they're the group we're after, that's for sure."

* * *

After jostling through the crowd at the entrance, the SeeDs hurried past the local and regional trains to the last platform in the station. There, a beauty of a train awaited them. It was made in Esthar -- a sleek, streamlined thing that looked more like a silver eel than a train. The locomotive was fully automatic, controlled remotely from an operations center in Esthar City. The bright gray body was painted with blues and purples, and on the side was a black and white crescent moon with a blood red tear -- the emblem of Esthar.

This train was one of the first to come to Timber in almost four decades. When Adel was overthrown, Esthar suddenly became a reclusive state. The long rail line across the ocean was barricaded off, and the small town located at the halfway point, Fisherman's Horizon, was almost forgotten by the rest of the world. Around the time of Edea's fall, Esthar attempted to renew commerce as it struggled to recover from the Lunar Cry. But as the political situation in Galbadia deteriorated, that plan had to be shelved. Now that there was peace, Esthar was more than eager to contribute to Galbadia's reconstruction. 

With only minutes to spare, Nexi and Fable had to drag Atrop away from the locomotive, interrupting him as he obsessed over the advanced technology. The entrance car still had the same ticket scanning system as their train from Balamb, but everything was different once they entered their passenger car. The hallway felt spacious, even though the car wasn't much wider than the regional trains. Inside an automatic sliding door was their cabin -- twice the size of a typical one, with a well-lit lounging area, comfortable couches, and long beds bunked at the front end. Three wide windows stretched from wall to wall, their tinted glass revealing a panoramic view of the busy station.

As the three got comfortable, an Esthar soldier walked along the platform outside. He looked strange compared to the other people around him, in slim gray armor and a round helmet that covered his whole face, making him look like some kind of robot. He entered the makeshift control room to make the final review before the train's departure. The security of the room wasn't as tight as he would have liked -- its construction was rushed to bring the intercontinental route online -- but risk was low due to the recent peace agreement. They could hold off on security enhancements for a few weeks.

The soldier sat down in front of a console, checking the results of the latest diagnostic. But as he typed, he began to feel drowsy. Before he even realized what was happening, he slumped to the floor in a magically induced sleep.

A man stepped in from the doorway, dressed also like an Esthar soldier. Two others ran in, one swiftly cuffing and dragging away the incapacitated soldier while the other hastily entered override commands into the console. In almost no time at all, he leaned away and signaled a thumbs up. 

The man in the doorway stepped to the window of the control room, waving to another soldier standing near the train. This soldier nodded and got on board, only pausing to check the short-barreled shotgun in the handle of his combat scythe. He entered the ticket car just as the train started to accelerate out of the station, toward the Esthar continent.

* * *

"This is the  _ life _ !"

Fable threw herself back on one of the soft couches, spreading her arms and legs and taking up all the space.

Atrop was giddy, running over to the windows of their cabin. "Look! We're about to start crossing the ocean!"

Sure enough, the land sloped down, and suddenly they were faced with open blue sea. The Galbadia coast stretched away to the northwest. Due north, just on the very edge of sight, they could see a small lump rising from the horizon -- Balamb Island.

Fable sat up, curious. "Why're we going so slow?"

"The track is old and hasn't been used in a long time," answered Atrop. "They're limiting the speed so that we don't derail."

"Going off the rails in the middle of the ocean doesn't sound fun," observed Nexi. "How long is the ride?"

"At full speed we could make it to the Great Salt Lake in a few hours. But at this rate, we won't even get to FH until some time after nightfall. We won't see Esthar until after dawn, I think."

Fable flopped back on the couch again. "This'll take forever!" she exclaimed. "What are we gonna do in the meantime?"

Nexi shrugged as she sat down on the bottom bed. "Dunno. It looks like there are a few  _ Timber Maniacs _ here."

Fable rolled her eyes. "Ugh,  _ reading _ ?"

"Hey," said Nexi. "The  _ Maniacs _ aren't that bad. Laguna used to write travel articles for them."

"That's right," recalled Atrop as he settled into a free couch. "I remember he wrote one about the Island Closest to Hell. Set foot on it for 10 minutes, then did the rest from the boat."

Nexi laughed out loud. "I remember that, too.  _ Really big monsters, no hiding places except grass. The name of the place pretty much says it all. Don't know why I came out here. _ "

Atrop laughed with her. "You know, it's funny. We had all those magazines as kids, but was it Squall or Rinoa who had collected them?"

"Squall," answered Nexi. "Weird, right? You wouldn't think he'd be into those."

"You wouldn't think he'd be into a lot of things. He's always full of surprises. He hardly says a thing, and suddenly he comes out of his shell with something brilliant." Atrop winked at Nexi. "You do that too."

"Only around you guys," Nexi clarified as she smiled back. "I'm hopeless with strangers."

They sat in silence for a while, gazing at the slowly rolling clouds as the train glided along the track.

Fable huffed, growing restless. "I'm hungry. I'm gonna go get room service."

Atrop tried to object. "Fable, you can just eat in the dining car. You don't need to spend so much--"

Fable was already out, the door closing behind her.

"...money," finished Atrop. He raised an eye toward Nexi. "You kept her card, right?"

Nexi smirked and held up the credit card between her fingers. "Yup." Atrop chuckled.

It wasn't long before the door opened again. Atrop looked over his shoulder playfully. "Forget something, sis?"

Fable stood in the doorway, but her face was drawn and pale. She looked like she had seen a ghost.

Nexi sat up. "Fable? What's wrong?"

"There's someone outside the train."

Atrop jumped to his feet. "What?"

"They're hanging down from a rope, near the tracks."

Nexi and Atrop hurried over to the windows. They couldn't really see the side of the train, but the glass curved out a bit to fit the shape of the car. They could see just enough, maybe half of a person's shoulder, to confirm Fable's report. The shoulder went in and out of view as it swayed with the train.

"What's he doing?" asked Nexi warily.

"He's near the coupling," answered Atrop as he tried to get a better look. "There's a console there that manages it. He could be entering codes to decouple us from the rest of the train."

"But...why?" asked Fable.

Nexi turned away from the window and picked up her gunblade belt, strapping it tight to her waist. "I don't know. But we better get off this car."

Atrop and Fable agreed. They were in the last car of the train. If it was decoupled, they would be left stranded on the track -- easy prey for whoever was after them. They quickly gathered their belongings and exited the cabin. But as they stepped out into the hallway, they met an alarming sight. Two Esthar soldiers stood at either end of the car, scythes in hand.

The soldier toward the front stepped closer and spoke, his voice warped by his strange, alien helmet. "Put down your weapons, and you won't get hurt."

Nexi, Atrop, and Fable glanced at each other only for a moment to confirm what they were all thinking: fat chance. They burst into action.

Fable took the soldier at the rear, whipping her handbag like she was pitching a softball. But what the soldier didn't see was the ball and chain, speeding out of the handbag's false bottom like a cannonball. He ducked just in time before the ball would have crushed his face, but he lost his balance and fell back.

The soldier in the front reacted quickly and fired his scythe's shotgun at Atrop. But Atrop turned his shoulder and absorbed the shot in the plate of his gun-arm, hidden beneath his jacket. He quickly responded with his wrist gun, but the soldier took cover in the gangway between the cars.

Two more soldiers came from either side, outnumbering them. "Back to the cabin!" Nexi shouted. They hurried in and jammed the emergency close button, slamming the door. Paramagic danced around Fable, raising the ends of her hair with static as she cast a Blizzard spell at the door, freezing it shut.

Atrop looked at her. "Fable, do you need--"

"Bro, I got this," she replied shortly as she concentrated on her spell. "Go help Nexi."

Nexi was trying to get a window open, but when she pulled the lever she was greeted with a sweetly irritating computer voice: " _ Please do not operate the emergency window release while the train is in motion. _ "

"You're kidding me," she muttered.

"Nexi, let me try!"

She moved out of the way as Atrop came forward. He planted his feet and threw a single, explosive punch, shattering the whole pane of glass. A sudden wind and the noise of the train came billowing in.

Nexi rushed over to the window and looked out. The front of the car was to her right, and there she saw the man on the rope -- another Esthar soldier. He had been entering the decoupling sequence until he heard the glass shatter. As Nexi poked her head out, he drew his scythe and fired the shotgun. She barely pulled herself back in time as the shot spread around the window frame. But then Atrop hurried to the window and leaned out with his wrist gun. The soldier kicked himself away from the console as bullets ricocheted around, swinging himself safely into the gangway.

Atrop looked around the outside of the train. What they needed to do was get to the roof so they could slip over to the next car. He spotted ladder rungs a couple feet forward of their window, but they were narrow and exposed to the enemy. "This is gonna be a tough climb."

"I'll go first," offered Nexi.

She walked confidently up to the broken window, grabbed hold of the handles fixed above it, and swung her feet up onto the sill. With an expert twist, she turned her body to the outside of the train, facing inwards.

"Slow" was evidently a relative term Atrop used to describe the speed of the train. The headwind blew strongly, and the persistent noise thudded incessantly on her ear drums. But she knew she had to move quickly. She shuffled forward to the edge of the window and leapt onto the ladder rungs, then scrambled up them like a cat. 

As she neared the top, a trap door opened in the roof of the gangway and a soldier climbed up. Nexi rolled onto the roof and got to her knees, drawing her blades just as the soldier drew his scythe.

The high afternoon sun shone brightly on the silver roof, making Nexi wince. But she could still see the soldier as he tried to aim his gun at Nexi. She dashed forward and knocked the barrels away before he could pull the trigger. Nexi followed through and slashed down toward his side, but he brought his scythe low to parry the attack.

Still, Nexi had the beat, and her weapon was longer and more nimble than the scythe. She pressed him forward over the gangway, but she realized it wouldn't be good to advance too far from the cabin window -- another enemy could easily get behind her, and she still needed to help Atrop and Fable escape.

The wind was whipping around them. Nexi pretended to stumble, exposing herself to counterattack. The soldier lunged forward, slashing desperately with the scythe. But Nexi parried, and in the same motion delivered a low, sweeping kick to his legs. The soldier collapsed with a cry and rolled off the side of the train, plunging into the water below.

One down, she thought. But how many more to go?

She rushed over to the edge of the gangway and looked down. The rope to access the coupling was dangling freely from a fixture on the roof. So that soldier must have been working on the coupling. The others -- four by her count -- must be trying to get into the cabin.

Nexi heard a thud behind her. Atrop was at the top of the ladder, his arms flat on the roof as he struggled to heave himself up. Nexi rushed over and helped him stand.

"What about Fable?"

A steel ball landed with a loud thunk between them. They scrambled to grab it before it slid off the roof, taking hold just as the chain became taught. They heard a  _ Woohoo!  _ on the wind as Fable swung out of the cabin, fireballs exploding on the window frame behind her. As she swung back to the car, she planted her feet on the wall and scurried up to the roof.

She took the ball back, giggling from the fun exit. "Thanks! So what now?"

Nexi thought quickly. "Atrop, can you finish decoupling the car?"

Atrop looked puzzled for a moment, but then grinned with understanding. "Yeah, I think so." He grabbed the rope on the gangway and slid down the side of the train.

The trap door by Nexi's feet opened again as another soldier came up to assail them. She kicked him in the head, slamming the door shut as he fell below. But as she knelt, she felt the intense heat of a fireball sail over her head. The other three soldiers had come up the back of the train, advancing towards them with volleys of magic.

Fable was more than able to counter them. She seemed to levitate slightly as multiple streams of paramagic flowed into her. She fired off spell after spell in quick succession, magic coming as naturally to her as gymnastics to Nexi, or technology to Atrop. The soldiers stopped their advance, defending themselves from the flurry of fireballs, lightning bolts, and ice spikes flying their way. Only one seemed fully capable of handling the onslaught -- he stepped left and right to dodge Fable's spells, casting his own in reply, until he and Fable were locked in a de facto duel.

Suddenly, there was a deep, loud clacking sound. A gap opened in the gangway, growing wider as the car separated from the train. The soldier fighting Fable, realizing what was happening, ran forward in a desperate bid to remain on the train. But as he leapt up into the air to cross the gap, he felt an odd feeling of weightlessness. He was sailing through the air, but he wasn't falling back down. Fable lowered her hand, having hit the soldier with a Float spell. As he hovered above them, the wind resistance slowed him down, the train pulling out from under him. Fable smiled and waved good-bye as he drifted away, floating down to the detached car. Once he landed on the exposed gangway, he slammed his sickle down in frustration.

Nexi and Fable helped Atrop back onto the roof. "All right!" they cheered as they exchanged high fives. But turning to watch the receding car, they became serious once more. Coming from behind, they saw another locomotive following. It looked like an old Galbadian diesel engine, but at the speed the Esthar train was going, it could catch up to them if it wanted to.

"Civilian?" asked Fable.

Atrop shook his head. "I don't think so. Traffic control would have kept it farther away from us. I think it belongs to those soldiers." Sure enough, the locomotive coupled with the stranded passenger car and began to accelerate, inching closer.

Nexi looked sidelong at Atrop. "Micromissiles?"

Atrop raised his eyebrows and shrugged. "Let's try it."

He took off his jacket, handed it to Nexi, and went to the end of the gangway. The sunlight shone brilliantly off the chrome plating on his sides and back. As he stood there, he looked more than half like a metal man -- a bionic hero from his old sci-fi magazines.

Two small compartments sprung open on his back, each containing six fingerling missiles with red and gold tips. Just like the robots he fought in Timber, Atrop stretched his arms wide, then folded them quickly into his chest. The missiles shot outward, leaving thin tendrils of smoke. They bent on a trajectory for the rails, targeting the space between their train and the pursuing one. They hit the rail ties with surgical precision, one section of track exploding after another. The bridge was made of concrete so it didn't collapse, but the rails themselves were left a tangled mess.

Fortunately for the soldiers, the driver of their train anticipated what Atrop was doing and applied the brakes early. Their train came to a stop just before the track damage began. They were safe, but unable to pursue the SeeDs any further.

"Yeah!" shouted Fable, leaping up with her fist. "Nice shooting, bro!"

"Good one, Atrop!" agreed Nexi, patting him on the back. "Let's get back in the train."

The three of them slid down the trap door and went into the car, but they froze as they were greeted with terrified screams. This was apparently the dining car, and many passengers had been eating lunch before the combat started.

An Esthar soldier in the aisle trembled from head to toe as he pointed his scythe gun at the SeeDs. "D-d-don't move!..." he stuttered. Nexi, despite the situation, smiled and relaxed. Here at least was a genuine Esthar soldier (albeit an inexperienced one), not an imposter like the ones they had just escaped from.

Nexi slowly raised her hands above her head and stepped forward. "It's alright," she said. "We mean you no harm."


	6. V. Silence and Motion

Nexi had some trouble gaining the soldier's trust. He was only half listening, still trembling with his shotgun raised. But soon another soldier, apparently his commander, came into the car and swiftly diffused the situation. Nexi was allowed to access her knapsack and show their diplomatic credentials. Satisfied, the commander led them out of the dining car to another cabin, similar to the one they had before. But he insisted they did not leave, and they would have to report to the Seaside Station master on arrival.

As the adrenaline from the combat wore off, it dawned on the SeeDs just how close a shave they had experienced with a completely unknown enemy. Fearing accomplices might still be on the train, they took turns to watch throughout the night. Nothing eventful happened except for a quick midnight stop at Fisherman's Horizon. Atrop had the watch, and as they drew close to the town he was able to see FH's enormous solar dish anchored in the middle of the black ocean, glowing silver in the moonlit night.

The hours wore away until in the early morning they could see sheer, colorless cliffs rising up from the ocean -- the western end of the Esthar badlands.

The track ran to a plateau nestled in the cliffs, where the train stopped at Seaside Station for customs and immigration checks. The station had been defunct for decades, but now was being propped up as the main point of entry into the Esthar continent. Everything felt like a work in progress -- buildings still under construction, temporary make-shift pathways, signs with evolving directions for travelers to follow. But the passengers didn't mind the improvised system -- they were just excited to be permitted into Esthar at all as it emerged from decades of silence.

The incident on the train, however, had rattled the station staff. Opening up Esthar was already a touch-and-go project, and a security breach like this one could become a major setback. So of course, the station master wasn't too thrilled when he met the SeeDs at the door of the train. He was a short, stocky man in a forest green suit and a green service cap, with a crimson face hidden under a bushy black mustache. He quickly led them away, flanked by a whole squad of Esthar soldiers.

They walked across the old, rusted platform to the main building of the station -- built almost a century ago. Nexi, Atrop, and Fable were left in a closed, windowless room in the basement, with crumbling concrete walls and water stains on the ceiling. Two soldiers were posted as a guard outside the door.

The SeeDs were talking in low voices, wondering how they should respond to their detainment, when the station master came back in. "My apologies..." he said, wiping away an embarrassed sweat. "I just received a message from the Presidential Palace. There is a taxi waiting to bring you there."

The SeeDs sighed with relief and thanked the station master. They were escorted out to the waiting taxi, but were surprised to see no driver.

"It's alright, it's an autonomous vehicle," explained the station master. "We've already programmed it to take you to the palace."

The SeeDs looked curiously at their ride. It had four wheels, but the similarities ended there to the kinds of cars they were used to. The wheels were wide but had a small radius, and the tires looked more like polished obsidian than rubber. The body was a solid ring of red metal. There was no roof -- only what appeared to be an oblong glass dome. But as they approached the vehicle, the dome sizzled and melted away into the air. "No way!" exclaimed Atrop. "A force field!"

The red metal of the car's body parted to either side like a curtain, allowing the passengers to enter. As soon as they sat down on the blue vinyl cushions, the metal closed and the dome rematerialized. The vehicle made no noise at all as it accelerated smoothly away from Seaside Station.

In front of them, a bleak sun illuminated a barren, lifeless land, with crags and crevasses covered in powdery white salt. This was the Great Salt Lake, and if the teens didn't know any better it would look like a hopeless dead end -- a sign of despair for any travelers seeking civilization beyond the known world.

The taxi drove along the plateau, overlooking the mummified landscape. Soon they came to a cliff that crumbled away into a wide sea of dusty salt. But instead of slowing down as it approached the cliff edge, the taxi accelerated. The SeeDs panicked for a moment until they saw that there were rows of lights marking the road, and they continued straight ahead off the cliff. The taxi drove seemingly into the air, but looking closely they could see a kind of glass where the road should be. The illusion of nothingness beneath them was almost flawless except for slight imperfections, reassuring the SeeDs that something was beneath their feet.

They coasted on the glass bridge, high above the salt lake. Fable looked perplexed as she stared down over the endless, dreary whiteness. "I don't get it. Where's Esthar?"

"I think over there might be your answer. Look!" pointed Atrop.

Far off in front of them, a black hexagon appeared in the sky. It looked jarringly different from everything else, fixed there like a bad pixel on a computer screen. As they drew closer, several more hexagons folded out next to the original one. More and more of the sky was replaced by these odd windows until they could see their road, continuing through the hexagons into darkness. It was clear now that the waste wasn't endless at all -- it was a mirage, a giant illusory wall that kept Esthar safe from unwanted intruders.

The taxi passed through the hole in the sky and slowed to a stop on a large metal platform. Suddenly, the platform dropped, taking the taxi and the SeeDs down through a massive tube. The tube was solid at first but suddenly became transparent, and the wonder of Esthar City opened up before them.

The morning sun was no longer bleak, but crisp and clear in a deep azure sky. Beneath it, the largest city the SeeDs had ever dreamed of stretched from horizon to horizon. Towering silver and blue skyscrapers were encircled by floating highways paved with pure, mauve light. Beneath the lightways was another layer of transportation -- a network of glass tubes, like the one the SeeDs were in now but smaller. Inside those tubes people sat on chairs, laughing casually as the platforms they were riding on zipped them away to their destinations.

The SeeDs' own tube bent suddenly; instead of dropping further, they were now being ferried horizontally across the city. Beneath them, Fable saw children dressed in long, pastel-colored fabrics and conical headdresses, playing on cerulean blue walkways in parks lined by fountains of crystal. Atrop gushed as they passed the air station, where sleek red aircraft with wings and claws like dragons rested on their launchpads. 

As they rounded the corner of a larger building, their destination came into view: the Presidential Palace. It was like an enormous, polished blue cauldron commanding the whole skyline. It seemed to be draped in a scintillating gold sheet, but as they drew closer they could see the sheet was actually floor after floor of lit square windows: the many municipal and administrative offices of Esthar's government.

The platform slowed down and emerged out of the tube, stopping in a plaza in front of the towering palace. As the SeeDs left the taxi, a dark-skinned man in a long white and gold robe of office stepped forward to greet them.

"Honored guests, my name is Kiros, friend and special assistant to President Loire. Welcome to Esthar."

* * *

The SeeDs followed Kiros to a smaller transportation tube that would bring them into the palace. Kiros’ dark skin was very uncommon in Esthar, or in any of the northern nations for that matter. He was born and had lived among the tribes of the Kashkabald desert before migrating to Galbadia, joining the army, and making friends with Laguna -- almost 40 years ago. He wore his gray hair the same way as he had in his youth, two wispy tendrils falling by his cheeks and tightly woven dreadlocks down his back. But now, he also sported a trim, chiseled beard. Nexi had difficulty picturing Kiros as the youthful, energetic warrior from Ellone's stories, fighting for life and death by Laguna's side. He seemed on the contrary very relaxed and content, with a twinkle of kindness and intelligence in his eyes.

While their small hovering platform carried them through the heart of the palace, Nexi thought it polite to strike up conversation with Kiros. "How are things in Esthar, sir?"

Kiros settled back in his chair. "Busy, but doing quite well. Most of the monsters from the Cry have been disposed of, except for a few stubborn nests out in the Great Plains. The city and its people have largely recovered, and most of our efforts have been directed toward a sustainable reopening of our country."

"Does that mean we'll get all of this in Balamb soon?!" Atrop asked, looking with wonder around the luminescent tube like it would soon be his own.

Kiros laughed. "Of course! You have some already. Much of Balamb Garden is based on Esthar technology -- your computers and their holographic displays, for instance. But we are happy to share more with you. Renewed friendship between all our nations is long overdue."

The platform came to a rest in a high-ceilinged hallway with a red carpeted floor and soft, tranquil lighting. Kiros led them past many large paintings of Esthar's history. Some he stopped to explain, like one of a quaint Galbadian town -- a dirt road emerging from a quiet field, flanked by simple stone buildings with red roofs and spires. It was so starkly different from anything they had seen in Esthar that Nexi had to ask about it.

"This is Winhill in Galbadia, where Ellone was born and Laguna's adopted hometown. I believe your headmaster was born there as well, of Laguna and Raine. Needless to say, Laguna has a special place in his heart for this town."

"Wow, look!" cried Fable from the other end of the hall. "It's Laguna fighting Adel!"

The painting in front of Fable was almost twenty feet wide, and dominating it was the Sorceress Adel. She was monstrously tall -- double the height of a normal human. Her only clothing was a long, billowing black skirt that trailed from her waist down to the floor. Her bulky upper body was bare and muscular, her skin unnaturally purple. She was covered in black, jagged tattoos, and from her back grew dark metallic wings. Her hair was long and red, her irises like glowing embers, and what should have been the whites of her eyes were blacker than night. 

Opposed to her stood a young Laguna in a cuffed blue jacket, his long black hair flowing and radiant. Adel was glowering down at him, unaware of her peril; behind her was the ring of the great cryogenic sealing machine, destined in a moment to imprison her for years to come. Laguna's face had a knowing, defiant smile, his body poised to push her into the machine and end her reign.

Kiros and the others walked over to admire the work. "Hah!" laughed Kiros. "The artist overdramatized this, I assure you. Laguna will be the first to admit he nearly wet his pants at this encounter."

Atrop's eyes bulged as he looked up at Adel. " _ This _ is what she looked like? Was she even human?!"

"Perhaps she once was," mused Kiros. "But eventually, the monster on the inside came to be written for all to see on the outside. So it is with villains such as her. Adel was truly terrible.

"Come, Laguna is expecting us. I will be happy to show you more after we meet with him."

As the others walked on ahead, Nexi stared an extra moment at the image of Adel towering above her. She hoped, prayed even, that Rinoa was not destined to become like her.

The hall opened onto a glass skywalk high above the city below. At the end of the skywalk was a large metal door, the Esthar emblem in its center. Two guards snapped to attention as Kiros approached, then moved to either side to allow him and the SeeDs into the Office of the President.

Beyond the secure door was an oval shaped room, like the inside of a metallic egg. The room was lit by a large cluster of glowing gold crystals, mounted on a ring-shaped chandelier overhead. There was little furniture except for the large circular desk in the center of the room. It was made of a dark gray metal, and over it grew a large red palm -- synthetic, but seemingly real -- leaning over the desk like a canopy. In the wall behind the desk was a wide slit of glass through which they could see the Esthar skyline.

Sitting to one side of the desk was a large, bulky man, also dressed in official robes. His big head was bald, and down the side of his face and his neck was a grotesque scar. He rose as the SeeDs entered.

"This is Ward, the president's steward," introduced Kiros. 

Nexi went to him and bowed. "It's nice to meet you, Ward." But she did not expect a vocal reply. Ward was a mute due to an injury he had received on his old adventures with Laguna. He smiled warmly and returned the bow.

"Ward, where is Laguna?" asked Kiros.

Ward rolled his eyes and nodded toward the desk. Almost in response, they heard a loud bump followed by an "Ouch!".

Laguna Loire slowly rose, rubbing his head. He still had long hair like in the painting with Adel, but it was very gray now and kept in a ponytail. The lines on his face were more pronounced, his body more frail. But everything else about his appearance reflected his youthful, carefree attitude. His robin egg blue shirt was only half-tucked in his khakis, his sleeves rolled up above his forearms. He had small grease stains on his shirt that he hadn't noticed from breakfast.

Laguna put on the thin, silver-framed glasses he had been searching for and examined his guests. His face brightened as he recognized them. "Fable! Atrop! Nexi! Oh man, come and give me a hug, you little squirts!"

They laughed, hugging Laguna as he ruffled their hair and gave them playful jabs. "I can't believe you kids! I thought you were still, like, 10 years old! Squall sounded nuts when he said he was sending you alone."

"Nope!" giggled Fable. "We're SeeDs now!"

"SeeDs!" Laguna looked stunned, slapping his palm into his forehead. "Gosh am I out of it. Congratulations! Hey, we better find a place to sit and catch up."

Laguna wandered over to one side of the office where a wall panel was a darker gray than the rest. When he pushed a nearby button, a wave of electricity crackled across the panel, changing it into clear glass. Another push and the glass vaporized entirely. Outside was a circular balcony where the sounds of the city echoed up, but they seemed muted. The air was fresh and breezy, but not gusting like one would expect from being so high up. Nexi had to stare really hard at the cityscape to notice that between it and her was another force field, shielding them from the noise and the wind.

On the balcony was a low, round table with chaise sofas and stools. The furniture was colored with the blues and purples of the city, but the cushions were soft and breathable. Laguna flopped himself on one of the stools, gesturing for the others to do the same.

"Now! I heard you had some trouble on the train."

Nexi was stunned by Laguna's sudden change of topic. She looked at him and saw he was studying her with a serious, interrogative expression. There was a reason he had stayed president all these years, despite being a clown. Nexi knew they must tell him the truth, and at once.

"Yes, sir. We were attacked by unknown enemies disguised as Esthar soldiers."

"While you were in your cabin?"

"Yes. Fable saw one of them trying to decouple our car."

"And what did you do once you saw them?"

Nexi explained the circumstances of the battle, all except for Atrop disabling the track with his missiles.

"Uh-huh," said Laguna. "They must have been really crazy to blow up the rails."

"Well…" blushed Atrop. "That might have been me."

" _ Might  _ have?"

"The enemy had an engine in pursuit -- a Galbadian one. I fired micromissiles at the track to prevent them from following us."

Laguna stared vacantly for a minute, contemplating. But then he snapped back into his usual self, throwing up his hands and slapping his thighs. "Well! No worries. The track will be repaired in no time. But you guys must be on some serious business to run into trouble like that. Squall wouldn't tell me a darn thing over the line -- what's goin' on?"

"We had an incident at the Garden, sir," answered Nexi. "Someone tried to kidnap Rinoa."

"Kidnap Rinoa? Why on earth…" Laguna's face darkened as he thought. "Don't let me stop you. Go on."

Nexi explained everything she could about the night -- how she had caught the intruders in the act and pursued them to the gate, trying to be as detailed as she could about what the assailants looked like and their mannerisms.

"That's bad news for sure," pondered Laguna. "What brought you to Esthar?"

"We found an Odine bangle on Rinoa. We think it was used to incapacitate her."

"Odine? Ah…" Laguna shook his head. "That guy's always up to something. Half my job is supporting his technological research, the other half is keeping him from doing anything nuts. Sounds like he's up to no good again."

"We were hoping we could interview him," asked Nexi. "See what he knows."

"Yeah…" Laguna seemed distant, clearly troubled by something. But he snapped back into the moment. "Yeah, definitely! He should be over at the Pandora Decommissioning project. Kiros, think you could take 'em there?"

"Of course," answered Kiros. "It would be my pleasure."

"Alrighty!" Laguna bounced onto his feet, and the SeeDs rose with him. He looked affectionately at them. "You three are really something, you know that? Squall and Rinoa are proud, I'm sure. Good luck, and I'll try to swing over to Balamb when I get the chance!"

The SeeDs gave him one more hug, then followed Kiros out of the office. Laguna waved goodbye after them, then winced as his leg cramped. He hobbled over to a chaise to stretch it out, where Ward knew he would find him asleep two hours later.

* * *

Kiros and the SeeDs returned to the entrance of the palace, where a road vehicle with a human driver was waiting for them. The driver was a soldier, and the vehicle a long blue limousine. The SeeDs and Kiros seated themselves in the rear and the driver merged into traffic, traveling on the lightways toward the eastern end of the city. The lightway glowed a translucent purple beneath them as they drove swiftly and silently, weaving their way through vehicles, buildings, and transportation tubes as they headed for the city limit. 

After an hour of driving, they came to the edge of the city. The buildings ended abruptly, the glass and metallic gardens suddenly becoming barren flats. The lightway they had been coasting on turned into a dirt road -- flat, hard, and dusty. The driver pressed a button to convert his tires to all-terrain, then drove off the lightway onto the cold desert path. They had now entered the Great Plains of Esthar.

As they drove across the dry landscape, they found no life nor any signs of habitation. Far off to the north they could see the Vivienne mountains -- hardly visible through the haze on the horizon. To the south was a wisp of white fog where the Solomon Gulf began. But all the land in between was just a vast expanse of beige nothingness.

Fable was staring hard at the empty land, her brow furrowed as she steamed from her ears in concentration.

Kiros noticed her expression. "You look perplexed, my dear."

"I just don't get it! How do you get Esthar out of  _ this _ ?" Fable waved her arms at the plain. "You can't do anything out here!"

Kiros laughed merrily. "I understand your confusion! If the people of Esthar had to evolve indigenously here, they would never have become the civilization they are today. But they were not native inhabitants. They came here as refugees out of the ruin of Centra, from which they brought extensive technical knowledge. 

"Ironically, the salts of these dead lands are the key to our advances -- the electrolytes in them are fundamental to powering our machinery. With them we are able to synthesize our food, transmute our waste, distill our water sources… almost every application you can think of."

"It's a marvel," remarked Nexi. "But why didn't they settle some place more hospitable?"

"Perhaps they could have," answered Kiros. "But if I have learned anything about Esthar's people, it is that they love a challenge. From a barren wasteland they created a city that is the wonder of the world. In fact, it was Odine who was behind many of Esthar's technological feats…"

The driver unexpectedly slowed to a stop. Kiros opened the intercom to the driver's cabin. "What is it, Marcus?"

"There's an active encounter up ahead, sir."

"An encounter?" asked Atrop.

"A monster sighting," replied Kiros. "We will have to wait until we receive the all clear."

Fable perked up. "We can help! Can we help?"

Kiros shrugged. "Perhaps. Let's ask Captain Argus." Kiros waved at Marcus through the glass separating their cabins. Marcus placed his communicator to his ear to pass along Fable's offer, and soon flashed Kiros a thumbs up.

"Very well!" said Kiros. "Let's go meet the good captain and see what he's dealing with."

The limousine began driving once more. They soon found the road blocked by a gray trapezoidal vehicle with eight huge wheels -- a military transport. A nearby soldier waved them around and had them park just a few yards ahead.

Several other soldiers were gathered around the side of another vehicle, examining a small holographic map display. As Nexi and the others approached them, she could see several of the soldiers were wearing a different kind of armor. The light gray plates were darker, the accents green instead of purple. Their combat scythes were longer and thicker than Nexi had seen on the regular soldiers.

One soldier in dark armor turned around to greet them. He wore no helmet and had blonde hair buzzed into a flat top. His face was chiseled and scarred in many places. But he greeted them jovially, his voice like a strong operatic tenor.

"Welcome, Assistant Kiros! I hope you are doing well. Who are these fine warriors you've brought me today?"

"I am quite well, Captain Argus," replied Kiros with a bow. "These are SeeDs from Balamb Garden. They are with us on other business, but have graciously volunteered to help you."

"And we thankfully accept your help!" Argus beamed. He shook each of their hands by their forearms. Atrop was surprised by the strength of his grip and the hardness of his arm. Then he noticed how his legs seemed to move a little unnaturally, mechanically.

Atrop stared at Argus in wonder. "You're a cyborg!  _ Ouch-- _ " Nexi had elbowed him in the torso, just below where she knew his gun-arm plating ended.

Argus observed their reactions and laughed heartily. "Yes, son! I am a cyborg. No offense taken, I assure you."

Fable was amazed. "I'm so sorry for you! What happened?"

"Hexadragon, daughter. Tore my legs right off. But my injuries are not so bad compared to others under my command. Some have lost so many limbs, they jest whether there is still enough of them left to qualify for their pension!"

Nexi couldn't help but admire Argus, how he and his men took their gruesome injuries in stride. Here were soldiers who delighted in their work, ostensibly glad to sacrifice their very bodies to protect the people of their nation. Credit had to be given to Esthar itself too -- a nation capable of inspiring this kind of devotion in its servants. As Argus shook her hand, she bowed.

"We're honored to help any way we can. What's the situation?"

"A malboro, daughter. Vile creatures they are. It crawled into a box canyon not far from here."

The SeeDs looked confused. They had never heard of a malboro before. "Do not worry! You will see one soon enough. It is one of the few remaining of the hundreds that fell in the Cry. We were just analyzing the terrain to plan our approach, but are now ready. By your leave, we will depart."

"Yes, Captain," replied Nexi. "Please, lead us on."

The other soldiers joined them, and they walked off together in search of the box canyon. Kiros stayed behind with Marcus and the limousine.

As they walked on the plain, Nexi noticed how much different it was up close. She saw that what had seemed to be a lifeless landscape actually did have some growth -- specifically of the hard and struggling kind. Tumbleweeds, dry grasses, and brambles dotted the ground, growing here and there between jagged loose rocks. The rocks themselves were an odd marble color of sandy yellow and light purple. An occasional lizard popped up its head and watched them, scurrying away to hide as they approached.

Soon, they came to a crevasse with a steep slope down -- the entrance of the box canyon. The malboro had only entered it an hour ago, but already a gross stench of decay was permeating the air. Despite the high noon sun, the canyon seemed wrapped in a veil of darkness -- a mark of the evil that lay below.

Argus stopped the SeeDs for a moment. "A malboro is a dangerous foe. Its breath is toxic and its blood corrosive. We cyborgs have armor suited for this work, but your armament may not perform well under such conditions. You would do well to avoid a frontal assault, and use whatever ranged weapons and abilities you have."

Nexi, Atrop, and Fable were nervous, but they nodded their reply. They followed Argus and his men down into the canyon.

The slope was steep and slippery with loose stones, but eventually they made it safely to the bottom. The floor of the canyon was wide enough to maneuver in, roughly 30 yards from wall to wall, but the walls sloped inward as they rose. High above, they could only see the sky through a gap a few meters wide. The sun could only illuminate the middle of the canyon floor; the left and right sides were in shadow, with many caves and alcoves for the monster to hide in.

The smell of death was particularly pungent; they knew the malboro must be close. Argus posted two of his squad to guard the slope, blocking the malboro's only escape route. The rest fanned out, moving slowly to prevent a surprise attack.

Atrop grew restless with the silence. He whispered to Nexi as they crept forward. "I read all the wrong books for monster hunting. What are we in for?"

"I don’t know, Atrop. But don't be afraid! This is part of a SeeD's job too, after all."

They all stopped. A horrendous, maniacal laugh echoed loudly off the walls. No one could tell from which direction the laughter came. It sounded human, but obviously not human at the same time -- like how a predator might mimic its prey in order to lure it.

"To the right!" one soldier shouted. The squad only had to turn their heads to see the malboro, lurking in the shadows of an alcove. It was so deep in the shade that it was difficult to make out, but Nexi thought she could see a big, round body, and what looked like snakes slithering all over its surface.

She didn't have to guess at its appearance for long. The malboro, foiled in its attempt to surprise the squad, hissed loudly and writhed out of its hiding place. Now they could all see it clearly: an eight foot wide, globular mass of slimy green tentacles, a gaping mouth the whole width of its body, rows of jagged teeth and a dark, open throat. Of eyes or any other facial features, none could be seen. A thick purple gas oozed out through the gaps in its lower teeth.

The malboro lashed out at the squad, spewing green dissolving acid at the attackers. One cyborg was hit in the leg, the acid bubbling as it melted through his armor. But he reacted quickly, ejecting the plates to escape the danger. His cybernetic components were exposed, but undamaged.

The other attackers surrounded the malboro and charged. The cyborgs leapt among the tentacles, hewing the malboro with their heavy scythes. The regular soldiers kept their distance, sending volleys of shotgun blasts and spells at the creature. Nexi and Atrop joined them, firing rounds into the scaly underbelly of the monster, while Fable cast spells into its open mouth. 

The malboro shrieked with rage, lashing its tentacles wildly to defend itself. Atrop, perhaps feeling a little cocky, stepped forward toward the malboro, grinning as he unloaded his wrist gun. But when his magazine was empty, he noticed an odd silence. "Umm… Atrop?" he heard Nexi say.

Atrop saw she was standing with soldiers on the right side of the malboro. Fable, Argus, and the others were on the left. Everyone had stopped attacking and turned to watch him.

It slowly dawned on Atrop that they were all either to the side of or behind the malboro; only he was directly in front of it. The malboro, only a few feet away, was slowly waving its tentacles, considering how to play with him.

The malboro's mouth slowly opened wider, and then all at once, a green and purple cloud billowed out. Atrop reeled and fell over as he was engulfed by the cloud, his senses completely overwhelmed by the putrid, noxious fumes coming out of the monster's hideous face. His head swam; his vision was dark, his lungs and nostrils burning. He crawled on all fours, wanting to vomit and faint at the same time. He wasn't even sure which direction he was going, whether to safety or right into the monster's mouth -- an unwilling snack for the malboro.

Atrop heard the malboro cry out in pain and anger, but it seemed distant. Suddenly, his senses cleared; the darkness lifted, the fumes receded. He was lying on his back with Fable kneeling above him, casting an Esuna spell to heal his debilitating ailments. He raised himself onto his elbows and looked around wildly to get his bearings. The malboro was a few yards away, twisting and thrashing in agony as it bled profusely from several of its severed tentacles.

From behind the malboro climbed Argus, wrestling each tentacle as he scaled up its back. He stood on top of it, deftly keeping his balance as the creature tried vainly to throw him off. Then in one swift stroke, Argus swung his scythe down and buried it in the malboro's skull. The malboro seized, then slowly collapsed forward onto its face. Its tentacles flapped limply for a few moments longer, wriggling like worms in the last throes of life.

Atrop stood weakly and stared for a moment at the dead carcass. Then the smell wafted over. Unable to stand it anymore, he turned around and threw up.

Argus came over to help as Fable and Nexi comforted Atrop, patting him on the back and keeping him from falling over. 

"I tried healing him…" lamented Fable.

"Do not despair, he just needs an additional remedy." Argus removed a spray from his pack and instructed Atrop to inhale it.

Atrop's nausea dissipated, but he still felt dizzy. He tried to stand tall but ended up with his hands on his knees. "That… was  _ disgusting! _ "

Argus gave another of his hearty laughs. "We call it The Bad Breath. We have all suffered it one time or another. You might say it is how we initiate members into our unit. Congratulations!"

Atrop tried to laugh in between short breaths. "I'm honored, but no thank you! This isn't the work for me."

Argus laughed and slapped Atrop on his hard, armored back, then walked over to the malboro. His men were busy dismembering the tentacles and stacking them in a gruesome pile.

"What are you doing with those?" asked Nexi.

"Malboro tentacles are a valuable commodity," explained Argus. "We refine them into medicines and poisons. Even the hides have use in armor and weapon crafts." Argus lifted one of the bleeding limbs. "You may take one if you like! Our gift for your services."

Nexi and Fable laughed as they saw Atrop turn pale. "Thank you Captain," Nexi answered, "but we have no safe way to transport it. And I am afraid we have our mission to attend to."

Argus tossed the tentacle away and bowed. "Of course, daughter." He clasped hands with each of them once more. "You shall always be among friends with us. Farewell, and may you find glory in all your endeavors."

Nexi, Atrop, and Fable said goodbye to Argus and climbed back up the slope of the canyon. As they reached the top, they thought they heard the music of a shanty as the soldiers harvested the malboro.

* * *

The SeeDs returned to Kiros and journeyed a few more hours eastward. As they drove, they noticed an odd dark square ahead of them on the horizon. The square was like the mountains to their left -- massive but distant, growing very slowly as they got closer.

"Is that the Pandora?" asked Nexi.

"What's left of it, yes," replied Kiros.

Atrop squinted as he tried to discern features on the remote black object. "What do you mean, what's left of it?"

"Well," began Kiros, "as you know, the Pandora is the housing of a very dangerous artifact called the Crystal Pillar, and the Pillar can resonate with the moon to induce Lunar Cries. From the moment Laguna became president we knew peace with other nations would be impossible as long as we possessed the Lunatic Pandora. For the first decades of his office it was flooded under the sea. But the Galbadians were still able to raise it and invade Esthar.

"So, we needed a new plan. We decided that hiding the Pandora wouldn't be enough -- we needed to render it powerless. And that's where we are headed: the Pandora Decommissioning project. We are disarming the Pandora and sealing the Crystal Pillar -- permanently."

As they drove further in silence, Atrop closed his eyes to sleep off the lingering headache from the malboro battle. When he woke, he was surprised to find the sky dark outside the front window. But then he realized it wasn't the sky he was looking at; it was a colossal black wall, stretching beyond the edges of the car windows. The wall was half a mile long, and etched in the surface, in an even darker black, was the giant top half of Esthar's moon tear emblem. That’s when Atrop understood what he was looking at: the Lunatic Pandora.

A silver and green building was in front of the Pandora, long and sleek like a submarine, but like a doll house in scale next to the giant monolith. Once the laboratory for Pandora research and development, it was now the base of operations for its deconstruction. 

The limousine pulled into a cul-de-sac in front of a long, green carpeted veranda. A tall, athletic man with combed silver hair and a long white coat came out to greet them.

"Good to see you again, Kiros!" said the man with a wave.

Kiros shook hands with him. "My guests, allow me to introduce you to Piet, Esthar's chief aerospace engineer."

The SeeDs exchanged pleasantries with Piet. "Forgive me, sir," began Atrop, "it's an honor to meet you, but why is someone like you working on a project like the Pandora?"

"You mean what does any of this have to do with space?" laughed Piet. "That will take a little time to explain. Allow me to give you a brief tour."

With Kiros' permission, Piet led the SeeDs along the perimeter of the Lunatic Pandora. Up close, they could feel the heat of the sun radiating from the black metal. Looking up, it felt like the whole world had been partitioned in two by the endless wall. But instead of floating above the ground as it was originally designed, it was nestled into the earth. Dirt and rubble formed small slopes against the side of the colossal structure.

Nexi asked a question that had been bugging her since they first saw the Pandora on the horizon. "Piet, this thing is massive, but from the pictures I thought it would be taller? More like a vertical rectangle than a square?"

"You're right, Nexi, that's indeed how it used to be. That's because you only see the top half of it. The rest is buried."

" _ Buried? _ " the SeeDs all stared incredulously at Piet.

"Yes. Incredible, right? But that's exactly what we're doing. The digging work is continuing several hundred meters beneath us."

Piet brought them back to the lab building. They walked across the veranda and through a sliding door at the main entrance, into a room that was once the Lunatic Pandora mission control. Holographic displays on every wall still showed maps of the world and its topography -- for programming the target coordinates of the Pandora's next victim. A giant window on one side gave them a clear view of the work site.

One display showed the Pandora's internal schematics. Inside a wire frame of the monolith, they could clearly see what it was enclosing: a huge blue-green crystal, over a mile tall, shaped like a giant hourglass. The diagram showed it suspended inside the monolith by thousands of steel tubes and cables thicker than a human body.

Nexi looked closely at the display, a feeling of uneasiness growing as she pondered the most devastating object ever to fall to the earth. "That’s… the Crystal Pillar?" she asked.

"That's it," said Piet. He pressed a few buttons to overlay the display with what looked like grayish brown water flooding the bottom half of the crystal. "Our goal is twofold: decommission the Pandora, and permanently stabilize the Crystal to prevent any more Lunar Cries. Our solution is to bury both and flood the Crystal with sludge. Let's see the Galbadians try to raise that!"

"But the Pandora is huge!" blurted Fable. "How do you fill the whole thing?"

"Very slowly!" laughed Piet. "We use the soil that we dig beneath the Pandora as the fill. We mix it with water from a nearby underground reservoir to make it easier to pump. And every inch we dig deeper, the Pandora sinks lower and lower. Slowly but surely, it's going under.

"And you asked about  _ my _ job," Piet said as he turned to Atrop. "I'm monitoring the energy patterns of the Crystal to ensure we don't trigger another Cry on top of us. We have an array of satellites between us and the moon, listening for any signals that could spell trouble."

"You mean, you've gotten back into space?" asked Atrop. "I thought Esthar lost all of its infrastructure in the Lunar Cry."

"We did…" answered Piet with a sad expression. "We've been able to conduct short missions with the Ragnarok airships -- deploying satellites, surveillance work, stuff like that. But without the Lunar Base space station, we can't do any long-term manned missions." Piet gave Atrop a weak smile. "But we've almost gotten back to that point -- if Kiros here gets us the remaining resources, of course."

Kiros laughed. "Patience, my friend! You will be in space again soon. But we thank you for waiting. This Pandora business was unfortunately a higher priority."

"A big vaste, if you vere to ask me!" The SeeDs spun around to see the newcomer. From an inner door, the most bizarre little man they had ever seen was shuffling into the room. He wore a ridiculous circular neck cuff that stretched wider than his shoulders, with an alternating white and red pattern like a gawdy umbrella. Underneath he wore purple robes and thick, baggy, purple pants. If Squall were there to see him, he would think how remarkably unchanged Odine was, except for his pony bun now being solid white and his height almost a foot shorter, if that were even possible. 

Kiros awkwardly cleared his throat. "Nexi, Atrop, Fable, allow me to introduce... Dr. Odine."

"Baah!" Odine waved Kiros away impatiently. "You have me destroying my own vork, my own creation -- and not just any von, but ze Lunatic Pandora! Such a marvel should not be thrown avay!"

Kiros sighed. "We've been over this before, Odine. Several times, in fact… over 10 years, if I haven't lost count."

"You have not," huffed Odine. "Small comfort to know zat you can at least count."

Nexi stepped forward. "Dr. Odine, we are on a mission of the utmost importance. We would like to ask you a few questions."

Odine bristled. "I do not have time for this! Go avay!"

"Odine," Kiros said with a roll of his eyes, "they have special dispensation from the president himself. You must comply."

Odine shuddered in a fit of anger. But he eventually threw his arms up and acquiesced. "Fine! Follow me."

He led the SeeDs into the board room. It was a low ceilinged space with a long black table, with no windows except for a few square portholes. All along one side was a cabinet filled with dozens of trophies, medals, and other achievements, most of them belonging to Odine for his work.

Odine flopped down in one of the black chairs at the table. "OK. Vat do you vant already?"

Nexi, Atrop, and Fable glanced at each other, agreeing silently on a strategy for the interview. Nexi sat in a chair, stretching out her legs and placing her hands behind her head. She moved slowly, setting a pace that was plainly meant to irritate him. "Well, Doctor, we've had a bit of a stir at the Garden. Maybe you can help us with it."

"Vhy? Vat do I have to do vith your Garden?"

"Well, you see," continued Nexi as she put her feet on the table, "someone apparently tried to kidnap the Headmaster's wife."

"Ze Sorceress? Vell, good for them, I suppose."

Atrop walked to the chair across the table from Odine and took off his jacket, making a big show of his gun-arm as he sat down heavily. "They did it with the help of an Odine bangle, doc."

Odine glared at Atrop. "So vat? You think I helped zem? You vant to fisticuffs?"

"No no no," consoled Nexi. "I don't think we need to go that far, if you cooperate. We just need to know who you sold the bangle to and where we can find them."

"Hah," sneered Odine. "Vell, I don't remember. So if zat's all, goodbye now."

Fable wandered childishly up to the awards on the cabinet. She eyed a particularly fragile one, with a crystal ornament in the shape of the Presidential Palace. "Oh, how pretty! And it has your name on it, too!"

Odine, surprised by Fable's sudden attention to the awards, turned around quickly. "Uh, yes child. Please do not touch-- NO, VAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"

Fable dropped the award, smashing it to pieces on the floor. She looked slowly to Odine, a coy look of false regret on her face. "Oh… I'm so  _ sorry _ , Doctor!"

"Tut tut, Fable," chided Nexi. "I know you want to play, but we need our information first."

"Ooh!" exclaimed Fable. "Can I look at  _ this _ one instead?" Fable took a larger award, with a meticulously detailed glass sculpture of the Lunatic Pandora.

Odine bounced irritably in his chair. "Stop it! Stop it! I don't know anything about ze kidnappers. Leave zat alone! Vhy do  _ you _ care so much anyvay?!"

"Simple," growled Atrop. "She's our mother."

Odine was about to burst in rage at whatever answer he heard, but he wasn't expecting that. He stopped bouncing and turned toward Atrop, his eyes sparkling with wonder and intrigue. "She is your muzzer, you say?"

"No, our moth--... whatever. Yes, she's our 'muzzer'."

"Aah…" thought Odine. A small, nefarious smile stretched on his face. " _ Ahhh…. _ "

The siblings looked at each other uncomfortably. Nexi swallowed, trying to reassert her dominance. "Dr. Odine, I hope this explains why we need you to cooperate, and tell us everything you know."

But Odine wasn't listening. He was leaning back, staring at the ceiling with his cocky little grin, secret thoughts dancing through his genius mind.

Finally, after a long, awkward moment, Odine seemed to come back to them, though still partially in a reverie. "You vant to know more?... Go to Trabia."

The SeeDs looked confused. "What do you mean, 'Go to Trabia'?" asked Nexi. "Where in Trabia? Who are we looking for?"

Odine snapped back to them in frustration. "Vhy do you need to know more?! Zere iz only, like, two places in Trabia! Go and find out for yourselves!"

Nexi looked at Atrop, who gave her a sad shrug. They weren't going to get any more out of him, though they still felt quite lost about this cryptic, nebulous guidance.

Nexi stood and straightened her leather coat. "I hope you're not leading us on a goose chase, Doctor. We'll be back if you are."

"Oh, you need not vorry about zat…" Odine grinned, showing his teeth like tiny little fangs. "You vill learn vat you vill learn, and you vill see Dr. Odine again vhen you know more."

The SeeDs left Odine in the conference room. Kiros stood as they emerged. "Well? How did it go?"

Nexi shook her head. "All he said was to go to Trabia. Seems like a trick to me."

Kiros nodded. "Could be, but there is some validity to it. Odine went there on sabbatical several years back. Maybe he learned something that he wants you to discover for yourself."

Nexi considered that, feeling a little more confident in their course now that they had Kiros' reassurance. "Very well. Then I guess we're headed for Trabia."

"Wonderful," said Kiros. "Marcus will take us back to the city, where you can spend the night before continuing on your journey." Kiros placed his hands on Nexi's shoulders. "You are doing well, young warrior. Keep your chin up."


	7. VI. The Successor

Kiros asked Marcus to drive a little faster so they could get back to the city by sunset. They weren't disappointed. As they arrived, the sun sank behind the mirage wall on the far side, its rays scattering through all the glass and crystal that the city was built from. Everything shone and reflected like prisms, from the largest skyscrapers down to the lowliest street lamps. It was like the city was bathed in rainbow light; all three SeeDs just wanted the moment to freeze and last forever.

Kiros indulged them further, directing the limousine to an overlook so that they could sit and dangle their heels as they watched the illuminated city. But eventually the sun dipped away beneath the horizon and night came to Esthar. Though the nightscape was just as beautiful, with neon lights like star clusters and the soft whispering sounds of vehicle traffic, they knew they couldn't stay. After a few more moments of silence, the SeeDs got up and returned to the limo.

They spent the night at the best hotel in the city, opposite the Presidential Palace. Often reserved for diplomats, they were set up in one of the finest apartments available, with each having their own bedroom and a common area larger than their family room back home. Everything was either gold or white marble, including a bathtub larger than a jacuzzi. The only downside was they had to share the tub. It took them an hour to get Fable out, after she flooded the floor more than once trying all the knobs and settings. But the latter part wasn't a big deal -- a sophisticated drainage system and automatic cleaning bot were able to keep up with her messes.

But even that fun night had to end. By mid-morning they were back at Seaside Station, depressed by their return to the bleak, colorless environment of the badlands. They tried getting a train back to Timber, figuring they could hop on a ferry from Balamb to Port-au-Glace in Trabia. But the station master informed them that all trains were delayed by at least a few days. He didn't seem too apologetic either, gloating over the irony that their own track damage was the cause of the wait.

When asking around for options, they learned that there were boat docks at the base of the plateau. They were meant for commercial shipping and fishing, but the SeeDs were told they might be able to barter for a ride.

And so it was that Nexi, Atrop, and Fable found themselves walking on a large wharf, past concrete docks and warehouses, asking for any ship headed for Trabia. Eventually, they were directed to a boat on the end of the last pier -- a small fishing vessel out of Fisherman's Horizon. 

As they walked along the pier, they could see the boat was very old -- a broad craft with a small flat cockpit and a rusted smoke stack in the stern, patched in places with bolted scrap metal. But proudly flying above the cockpit was the flag of FH -- blue with two orange fish circling each other. It also had a name painted on its prow: "Old Dobey".

A man in a faded white cap and rusty red sweatshirt stepped off of the boat. He didn't look very old -- maybe he was in his early thirties -- but he looked weathered. His skin was dark from repeated sunburns and his clothes had splotches of sea salt.

"Hello there strangers. How can I help you?"

Nexi stepped forward. "We need a lift to Trabia. Can you help us get there?"

The man was silent, eyeing Nexi's gunblade suspiciously. "Well, maybe I would, but the seas are choppy. You're looking at a three or four day journey at least."

"That's alright with us," said Atrop. "The train's going to delay us at least a week."

The boat captain sighed uncomfortably. He scratched his head and blushed. "Ok… you see, you seem like good kids and all… but I gotta problem with your weapons. We're pretty staunch pacifists, us FH folk. And the last time our town helped a bunch of armed strangers, it caused us a world of problems."

The SeeDs eyed each other. Nexi thought it best not to mention Balamb Garden.

"I'm sorry," apologized Nexi. "We don't mean to make you uncomfortable… we're just trying to get to Trabia before classes start up again."

"At Trabia Garden, huh?" wondered the captain. His eyes flooded with sympathy. "I heard you got hit hard by that whole Edea mess. Not even your fault either… I guess you wouldn't be looking for a fight any time soon." He thought a little bit, then shrugged. "Well, alright then. You want to go now?"

Nexi, Atrop, and Fable glowed with appreciation. "Yes," answered Nexi. "Whenever is convenient for you, Captain."

"Naw, none of that captain stuff. Call me Chad."

* * *

The SeeDs boarded Old Dobey. Chad slipped the ropes off of the moorings and hopped on, pushing away from the dock with his legs before running to the helm to steer. Black and gray diesel fumes puffed out of the stack, blowing away behind them as Chad pushed the throttle. The boat accelerated slowly, rolling with the waves as it reached a cruising speed -- not very fast, but comfortable.

Port-au-Glace was directly due north from Seaside Station. On their right, the Esthar badlands would transform into the western end of the Nortes Plains, but eventually those lands would fade away east as they continued into the open ocean.

The voyage couldn't have been more pleasant. The waves were not choppy at all despite what Chad had said to deter them. Nexi, near the bow, watched dreamily as the ocean sprayed up from under the prow. Fable nearby had her knees on the gunwale, stretching her arms out to catch the deliciously cool breeze. In the stern, Chad and Atrop worked to switch the engine over to battery power. What the SeeDs hadn't noticed from the pier were the two massive Esthar batteries, sleek and oblong, installed next to the smokestack in the stern. A thick rubber hose carried power to the batteries from solar panels on the roof of the cockpit.

The system was certainly not a usual configuration for the boat. To retrofit the futuristic batteries to the old motor, Chad had jury-rigged a large clutch to change between the diesel and electric power sources. But the lever to operate the clutch had gotten stuck.

"Atrop, do you mind giving me a hand with this?"

"Sure thing!" said Atrop. "If you want, I can probably do it myself." Atrop slipped off his jacket, revealing his gun-arm. He took the lever with one hand, and after a moment's adjustment to make sure he didn't pull  _ too _ hard, he snapped the lever cleanly to the right position.

Chad shook his head. "It's too bad you use that thing for fighting. It's a useful enough tool for solving peaceful problems. We have a few older gun-arms back in FH, though the actual gun parts are long gone."

Atrop put his jacket back on, mildly ashamed of having reminded Chad of their true occupation.

As the sun reached high noon, Chad taught them how to fish. He had as many as twelve large rods and plenty of bait and tackle. What he didn't have on the ship were things like trawl nets or other tools to help him bring in larger catches.

"I don't feel too comfortable taking more than I need," replied Chad when Atrop asked him about it. "If we allowed trawlers in FH, only a few of us would get all the fish and the rest would get nothing. No sense in encouraging that."

Chad slowed the boat so that the propellers wouldn't cause any churn, putting them almost to a stand still. He helped the SeeDs place the bait on their hooks and showed them how to cast their lines. Nexi and Fable felt their lines tug at the same time on opposite sides of the boat; after pulling back and forth, unable to reel in their fish, Chad cut Nexi's line. Fable suddenly pulled up a large salmon, with Nexi's hook in its mouth as well as her own. They laughed as they both realized they had caught the first fish together.

After hooking a few more, they reeled in the lines and Chad kicked up the throttle. As Old Dobey continued its voyage, Chad put a steel sheet on top of a battery radiator. He boned and gutted the fish, then cut them into beautiful fillets. He rubbed in some dry dill, ground mustard, salt, and pepper, dribbled on a little vegetable oil, then seared the fillets on the radiator. The heat was just right to cook the salmon and give it a golden, crispy skin. The meal was so good that for several years afterwards, the SeeDs would cook salmon over and over again -- searching for that magical flavor that only a greasy metal sheet and the heat of an engine battery could reliably produce.

As the afternoon wore into evening, Chad rigged up some hammocks for each of them to sleep in. The SeeDs stretched out, watching the first stars appear in the soft twilight sky as Chad did a few checks over his boat.

"I've got to admit it, Chad," said Nexi, "this is even better than the train. I wish we could live like this."

Atrop and Fable both chimed in agreement with "Mhm!" and "Me too!"

Chad finished tying down a loose rope. "What's stopping you?"

Nexi smirked, thinking Chad was kidding with them. But when she sat up and looked at him, she saw his face was sincere.

"Well…" she began doubtfully, "we have our responsibilities. Our missions, our Garden…"

Chad shook his head. "You all take on way too much for kids. If you want to live like this, then you need to live light, take only what you need, and pay it back. Now I ain't saying you should break your word, but the more complicated your life is, the more trouble you'll have."

Chad looked off the stern and froze, his eyes narrowing. "Speaking of which, are you kids in some kind of trouble with the law?"

Nexi, Atrop and Fable looked at each other alarmed. "No…" answered Nexi. She rose and joined Chad astern. "Why do you ask?"

Chad didn't answer. He simply kept staring at a point on the horizon while handing Nexi a pair of binoculars. Through them, Nexi clearly saw two boats in the distance. They were the same style as Balamb Garden's blue-gray speed boats, but these were smaller -- maybe half the size of Old Dobey, with only a few soldiers a-piece. They were lighter… and faster. Even as the sun set below the ocean and the boats blurred into shadow, they had halved the distance to Old Dobey.

Atrop joined Nexi and Chad. "Do you think it's… them?"

Nexi nodded. Who else?

"Chad…" Nexi said remorsefully, "I'm so sorry we've brought you into this."

Chad struggled to answer, but gave a curt nod. Nexi felt a well of guilt build up in her; Chad had made it clear he didn't like any fighting. He had been a wonderful host, and in return it was like they had betrayed him.

"Can we run from them?" wondered Atrop. "Or hide? Night's almost here."

"Sorry son," replied Chad. "Their radar will light us up like a torch. And those military boats are stealth, so they won't show up on ours. They've got a better chance of escaping  _ us _ in the night."

Nexi concentrated on the coming boats, her anger starting to simmer.

"I think it's high time we learned a thing or two about them," Nexi muttered to Atrop.

"You've got no argument from me, Nex. But how?"

Nexi thought about that. She glanced around the boat for anything that could help them. Ropes, hooks, and tie-downs were about all they had.

"Chad," asked Nexi. "Can we turn around to meet them?"

Chad, without objection but without any word at all, walked over to the helm and spun the wheel to port. He cut the throttle once they were facing the oncoming boats, now less than a pier's length away.

The last sliver of blue twilight disappeared, leaving everyone in darkness except for the myriad stars overhead. The whines of the speedboat engines grew louder, then died down as they came close. Patches of stars near the horizon became solid black as the speedboats floated silently up to either side. A sudden flood of bright light illuminated the entire deck of Old Dobey. Atrop and Fable shielded their eyes as a metal plank fell down to form a gangway.

Two Esthar soldiers crossed and boarded Old Dobey. In the glare, Atrop thought he could see more soldiers on the speedboats, but dressed as Galbadians. They still wanted to protect their identities, he thought, but right now they didn't care about what kind of disguise they used.

The lead soldier in front of him looked slowly around the deck. "There should be three of you," he said, his voice muffled in his helmet. "Where's the other?"

Atrop and Fable stood unmoving, giving them no pleasure of an answer. But Nexi had a reply of her own. From behind the smokestack, she swung herself on a rope and landed on the speedboat. "You can face me over here!" she shouted defiantly, drawing her weapons.

The response they got was something none of the SeeDs expected. The soldiers looked at each other for a split second, then hurried back onto their boat. "Go! Go! Go!" they shouted. Nexi fell backward in surprise as the boat peeled away from Old Dobey, not even waiting to retract the gangway as it fell off the side into the water.

With a sudden sickening lurch, Atrop realized what their enemy's goal was. They didn't want all three of them.  _ They only wanted Nexi _ .

Fable screamed in shock. Both of them ran to the gunwale, but there was nothing they could do. The speedboats had doused their flood lamps and were already out of sight, the sounds of their engines as quiet as the buzzing of mosquitoes.

Atrop spun around and searched wildly for Chad, finding him still at the helm. "Quick! We've got to go after them!"

"No!" growled Chad with some bitterness. "We can't chase them down like this. They're too fast, off our radar, and we ain't got any visual! Moon ain't gonna be up for another hour either." Chad was glaring at nothing in particular, refusing to make eye contact with Atrop or Fable. But eventually, he took a few breaths to calm himself down. He looked at Atrop and spoke again, this time with a note of sympathy in his voice. "I'm sorry kid, but they're long gone."

* * *

Nexi's eyes were shut, but she could see a bright light flooding her closed eyelids. She groaned, slowly forcing her eyes open. Sand and sea salt kept her from opening them fully as the smaller grains fell in and stung.

She tried to move. It felt like she was on a beach, with coarse sand and pebbles in her hair and clothes. Her body ached, and her head was pounding. But eventually, stiffly, she managed to roll herself over. Her hands dug into a rough sediment of mud and crushed shells, the tide water oozing around her fingers. She gradually raised herself into a sitting position and shuffled around to face the ocean.

It was a bright, clear morning, and the ocean was as blue as a sapphire. The beach she was on was small and gravelly, but most of the shore was composed of large white rocks, covered in seaweed and barnacles. Inland was a dark, crowded forest of thin spruces, their branches tangled and brittle, growing right up to the rocks. Nexi could smell their woody scent mingling with the ocean air.

As Nexi scanned the shore, she saw to her right the very wrecked speedboat she had arrived on. That's when she remembered how she got there. They had outnumbered her three to one, but she somehow managed to gain control of the boat and throw her attackers off the side. The other boat had been following them, but circled back to rescue their comrades from drowning. Then Nexi had punched the throttle, hoping to get out of sight and somehow rendezvous with Old Dobey. That was when she saw the light of a lighthouse and set a course for it.

But she hadn't realized what a stupid and hazardous thing this was to do, in pitch dark, with no nautical experience and no knowledge of the waters. The boat had crashed at full speed and ejected her onto the shore.

Nexi shook her head in disbelief. She had been lucky -- very, very lucky.

She checked her inventory. Her clothes were wet and salty, but otherwise okay. She still had her gunblade and her dirk, sheathed in their scabbards on her waist. But that was about it; her knapsack was still aboard Old Dobey. She had no food, and no spare clips for the gunblade.

That was all okay by her, though. She was a SeeD, and SeeDs were trained to survive. She got up and brushed the sand off her clothes, climbed onto a tall rock, and scanned the horizon. From the position of the sun she knew she was facing southeast. But it was all open ocean eastwards; there were no obvious markers to ascertain her position. She'd have to explore more to get her bearings.

With nothing else for it, she hopped off the rock and made her way south along the shore, hoping to strike the lighthouse she had seen in the night. She picked her way over rocks and pools, accompanied by the sounds of crashing waves and crying gulls. After an hour or so, she bent a point and saw the lighthouse on the far side of a cove. It was built from reddish brown timber, cut from the nearby woods. The catwalk and rooftop were black, made from metal and painted with glossy shellac. It wasn't very tall -- perhaps three stories at most -- but it was broad and had several windows in its walls. Beside it, to Nexi's relief, was a large wooden cabin.

There was a question of how to get to it. The tide had risen substantially on her journey, filling the cove and cutting off her way along the shore. But to her right she saw a path paved with wood chips, cutting through the trees and making its way around the cove. Nexi picked up her feet and followed it. 

The path dipped a little way into the woods, avoiding the most difficult parts of the shore. The trees were only a little taller than herself, casting no shadow on the path, their branches clipped to keep them from encroaching. Some of the cuts looked exceptionally clean, like they had only been made a few days before.

When she made a sharp left turn and exited the woods, Nexi gasped in amazement at what she saw. In front of her some way further was the lighthouse, but on her right was an endless field, filled with all kinds of colorful wildflowers. There were daisies and chamomile with white petals circling fluffy yellow florets; powdery blue chicory flowers with wooden stems and star-like faces; pink bergamot with a smell like a rainy afternoon.

Nexi was awestruck by the colors, mesmerized by the way the breeze would cause the whole field to wave like water, overlaid with light and shadow from passing clouds. For a long time she just stood there, forgetful of anything else in the world around her.

A branch snapped behind her. She turned her head and saw, further along the path to the lighthouse, a woman walking toward her. She was older, her skin taught against her flesh, her dark gray hair long and thin down to her waist. But she was beautiful, with verdant green eyes full of life and intelligence. She wore a simple gray dress that flowed down to her ankles, and light sandals on her feet to walk the mulch path. She moved gracefully like a willow wand, her eyes never leaving Nexi as she approached. 

Nexi turned her body to face her. There was something familiar about this woman. She couldn't remember exactly how she knew her, but she felt an odd sense of wonderment, and of fear. Nexi bowed, her instincts telling her it was the level of respect this woman deserved.

The woman came until she was only a few feet away from Nexi. "Hello, my child. You seem astray."

Nexi shuddered at the encompassing sweetness of the woman's voice. She really did feel like a child in her presence. "Yes, ma'am…" was all she could bring herself to say.

The woman gazed over the field, showing her long, elegant neck. "You were admiring the flowers?" she asked.

"Yes," Nexi answered. "I've never seen anything like them. It's like… they're alive. I mean, of course they're alive," Nexi blundered bashfully, "but  _ more _ alive. Like they can hear us."

The woman nodded. "Places like this do seem to listen, especially when something profound is being said." She looked directly at Nexi. "You are Rinoa and Squall's daughter, are you not?"

The question startled Nexi. "Y-Yes, ma'am…"

"I suspected as much, you have their aura about you." She turned slowly back toward the field. "They came to a place like this, once. They said profound things, and made solemn promises… the flowers listened then, too."

Nexi felt a cold chill grow down her spine. "What promises?..." she asked timidly.

The woman smirked at Nexi, a curious sparkle in her eyes. "I did not hear them. But if I did, are they really for us to know?"

Nexi blushed. "No, I suppose not."

The woman continued watching her, unspeaking and unmoving. Finally, the silence became too unbearable for Nexi. "Please ma'am, who are you?"

"I am Edea, child."

Nexi nearly swooned in shock. "Sorceress Edea!" She trembled in fear, struggling to suppress an urge to flee, or grovel at her feet.

Edea observed this reaction in Nexi, but largely ignored it except for the slight narrowing of her eyes, a mild look of disdain. "I am Edea, but a Sorceress no longer. If it makes you more comfortable, you may call me Matron."

"Matron…" Nexi recalled the vaguely familiar name, how she had once heard Squall refer to her that way. Edea had been his Matron, his protector when he was a young orphan.

Nexi felt ashamed by her reaction. "I-I'm sorry, Matron. I know you are no longer a Sorceress. Please forgive me if I offended you."

Edea stepped close to Nexi, softly placing one hand on her back, taking Nexi's hand with her other. "You are forgiven. Come, you are my guest, and you need care and rest." Nexi walked despondently as Edea gently coaxed her toward the cabin.

* * *

Edea led Nexi to a guest bedroom and had her remove her wet clothes. As Nexi was doing this, Edea went to a bathroom and lit a fire in a large boiler, heating water for a bath. She returned to Nexi with a soft robe and white towels and led her to the tub. Nexi was left to soak in the hot water, the sweet scent of chamomile permeating the air. When she emerged, Edea had a tray of broth and warm bread waiting by her bedside. She instructed Nexi to eat, and then sleep.

The bedsheets were cool and clean, the mattress and comforter thick and fluffy with down. Nexi slept deeply until the day drew well into the afternoon. But when she woke, she lay there longer still, the real world at the moment more surreal than the dream one.

Finally, she knew she had to get up. When she raised herself onto her elbow, she found that Edea had washed her clothes. Even her leather jacket had been scrubbed and conditioned, looking like new.

Nexi swung her legs out of the bed. There was a window in her room, and by the pattern of the sunlight she saw it was facing west. She went to it and drew the curtain. The cabin was on a green hill, sloping down to a wooden dock on the ocean. But beyond the dock there was island after island of treeless, sloping hills, and finally a larger island with an expansive brown mountain range. The afternoon sun hung high above it, coating everything in a golden light. Nexi could easily pin her location now: the Albatross Archipelago. The mountainous island in the distance was Balamb -- she wasn't too far from home, if home was going to be her destination.

That made Nexi remember that she really needed to check in. Atrop and Fable were no doubt worried sick. Squall and Rinoa would be too when they found out what happened, unless Nexi made her report first.

She slipped on her blouse and pants, but left the jacket alone for now. She left the room, this time having a more proper look around the cabin interior. There were two bedrooms that exited into a single hallway, leading down to a large living room. The room had a vaulted ceiling, with wooden planks supported by thick timber cross beams, braced with black iron. A circle of wooden steps led down to the center of the room where a great iron fireplace stood. It was round, at least three feet wide, with a large conical chimney suspended all the way down from the ceiling. The southern wall was all glass, with doors opening out onto a veranda. The furniture inside and out was all wooden, with hand-made seat cushions and thick wool throws. Beyond the veranda was an unobstructed view of the ocean except for the lighthouse, which was connected to the veranda by a polished granite walkway.

Edea was seated on a couch near the fireplace, knitting another throw. But when she saw Nexi, she placed her needles to the side and set her hands in her lap. "I hope you slept well, darling."

Nexi reddened slightly. "Darling" was what Rinoa liked to call her and Fable. "Yes, Matron. I have so much to thank you for."

Edea shook her head. "You need not thank me. You are welcome. Is there anything you need?"

"Well," said Nexi, "I do need to contact the Garden, tell them I'm alright…"

Edea smiled kindly. "You may use the terminal in Cid's office. He is not with us today. I will make tea while you work."

Edea directed Nexi to a corner room near the veranda. Nexi was surprised at how modest an office it was. The room was small, with a plain wooden desk and a stool. She had thought, given the traditional opulence of the headmaster's office at the Garden, that Cid would have something more extravagant. Nexi wondered if Squall also wished for a more modest place to work.

On the desk was a monitor and virtual keyboard. She established a secure connection, and drafted her message:

> Squad Leader Nexi reporting in. Have been separated from squad due to enemy encounter en route to Port-au-Glace. Current location Albatross Arc. Requesting further instructions.

Nexi tagged the message with their mission ID to ensure it was routed to Squall and Xu, and hit send. She thought she'd come back after tea to check for a reply, but the response came quickly from Squall himself:

> Report acknowledged. New intel received on Lost Children adversary. Proceed ASAP to G. City, send message on arrival for next steps.
> 
> Glad you are safe.

Nexi's heart swelled at the last sentence. In so few words, Squall could express an overflowing fountain of love and concern.

But now she needed to consider her next move. Squall had ordered her to Galbadia City. He must have learned something more about the Lost Children's whereabouts, maybe from Watts. But Galbadia City was a long journey, on the far side of the Galbadian continent. How was she going to get there?

Nexi signed out of the terminal and left the office. Edea was just taking a steaming kettle out of the fireplace.

"Were you able to connect?" asked Edea.

"Yes," answered Nexi. "But I'm a bit stuck. I need to go to Galbadia City."

Edea nodded. "I assumed you may need to leave soon. I contacted my children while you slept."

"Your children?" asked Nexi curiously.

"You will understand when you meet them," Edea smiled. "They will be here soon, and will take you wherever you ask them."

Nexi thought for a minute, then nodded. "Thank you, Matron."

"Of course, child." Edea took two clay tea mugs by their handles and rose. "Let us go out and speak a little."

Nexi held open the veranda door for Edea. They sat in wooden lawn chairs, sharing a small table for their tea. The distant ocean waves rose and fell on the shore with a steady, rhythmic flow. The gulls cried as they circled the pools left by the receding tide, searching for tiny crabs amongst the moist rocks. The tea in Nexi's mug tasted sweet but strong -- a mixture of lavender and bergamot, with a bright yellow lemon slice floating at the top. Combined with the fresh smells and sounds of the ocean, it tasted like pure euphoria.

Nexi bolted upright in her chair as she suddenly realized how incredible this situation was. As a Sorceress, Edea was responsible for killing hundreds of SeeDs, and thousands of innocent people. In her hunt for SeeDs she had razed entire towns and villages, just so they would have fewer places to hide. And here Nexi was, lounging at her beach house, enjoying tea with her!

Edea sat unmoving, observing Nexi's reaction. "Come, you must tell me your feelings."

"I just…" Nexi plucked up her courage to ask. "Why did you do all those things? When you were a Sorceress?"

Edea studied her, trying to gauge what answers to this question Nexi would be able to handle. "How much do you know of the Sorceress Ultimecia?"

Nexi knew the name, but her recollection of it was blurry, like a hidden memory from a dark past. She knew her by what Ellone revealed in her tales, but that was about it. "...not much, Matron."

"Ultimecia is a name all SeeDs must know," Edea asserted. "Strange that Squall has not enlightened you."

Nexi looked down, feeling a little defensive. Squall was an excellent teacher, she felt. She couldn't say why he hadn't taught her about Ultimecia, but he must have a good reason. He always did.

Seeing that Nexi wouldn't respond, Edea continued. "Ultimecia is an evil Sorceress who comes to us from the future. She possessed me, and through me committed those crimes."

"But… why?" Nexi asked.

Edea examined her closely. To her trained eye, Nexi appeared calm and mature, but somehow haunted. She would soon need to know the whole truth, but not right now. Not from her.

"The answer, child, lies in magic."

"In magic?"

Edea nodded. "Magic is the key element of nature. Beasts, in particular, have an affinity to magic, just as they have an affinity to nature. Humans, on the other hand, do not have such an affinity. We have grown too intelligent, and too self-serving, to have such a connection with magic.

"Sorceresses are different. They have this natural connection. But they pay an unusual price in that they become beast-like themselves."

Nexi shuddered as she thought of the dark Rinoa in Timber, with black-feathered wings and soulless yellow eyes. 

Edea noticed Nexi's shudder, but continued as if she hadn't. "Some of us were able to suppress our beast-like natures. I devoted my life to my orphanage, and Cid with me. Focusing on charity and the welfare of others helped me retain my humanity. But others…" Edea laughed darkly. "Others made themselves quite infamous. Adel, for instance, embraced her beastly nature, and it showed in both her mind and her body."

"And Ultimecia?" asked Nexi. "Who was she like?"

"Like no other," replied Edea firmly. She gazed forward, taking a minute to decide how she would explain. "When Ultimecia was junctioned to me, possessing me, the beast in her was potent and full of wrath: vengeful, hateful, and desiring only her rightful dominion. But the other side of her, her human side, was like a hidden echo. Whenever it spoke to me, it spoke only of one thing."

Nexi was hanging onto every word. "What thing was that?"

"Grief."

Nexi felt a tear fall down her cheek, a cry from her own grief that she was keeping deep inside. But she quickly wiped it away, determined to suppress her feelings once more. "Matron, how did you stop being a Sorceress? Is there any hope for Rinoa to do the same?"

Edea sighed with sympathy. "A Sorceress' powers cannot simply be willed away. She must have a successor."

"A successor?"

"Someone with magical potential, enough to receive those powers. Rinoa was my unwitting successor. As I neared death in battle against Squall and my other children, neither I nor Rinoa realized that the transfer had taken place.

"I fear for Rinoa. I am aware she has had trouble finding a successor. I know of none myself."

Nexi shared in Edea's worry, but it also gave her wild hope. Maybe she could find Rinoa a successor. Then maybe Rinoa could share in Edea's fate, one of peace and solace, and not a violent one like Adel or Ultimecia.

From the western side of the point came the distant sound of a ship's bell, its clamor carried to them by the wind.

"That will be my children. It is their signal." Edea rose. "Let us make ready for you to meet them, and depart."

Nexi nodded. She brought in her tea mug, still half full, and washed it in Edea's small kitchen. She donned her leather coat and buckled her weapons to her waist. A quick check in the bedroom mirror showed a rested and rejuvenated Nexi, ready for the next leg of her journey.

Edea led her down the grassy western slope. There, docked at the end of the wooden jetty, was a large, elegant ship. Its long hull was mostly wood, with ornate curved railings and delicately carved panels, but its prow was sharp and golden, like some helm of a forgotten hero. The rear of the craft was made of a white metal that looked more like marbled stone, shielding the two cylindrical propellers and the aft cabins. The whole ship seemed to glow gold in the light of the evening sun.

Three officers in ivory colored uniforms walked down the jetty and bowed to Edea. The lead officer, a man of moderate height with short, steel gray hair, turned to address Nexi. "You are welcome, Nexi. We depart at your pleasure."

Nexi turned to say goodbye to Edea, and was surprised to find herself in a warm embrace with her. "Farewell, Nexi. May you always find the truth, and with it light the darkness of the world."

Nexi followed the white-uniformed officers onto the ship. The bell rang once more as the propellers reversed the boat back into the ocean. Once its bearing was set, three magnificent sails unfurled like the wings of a heavenly dragon, and the ship sailed gracefully toward the setting sun.


	8. VII. Clan Kinneas

Port-au-Glace was nestled in an inlet on the south coast of Trabia. It was the chief port of entry into the continent -- the primary avenue of trade and the logical waypoint for any visitors to Trabia Garden.

Old Dobey was less than a nautical mile out from Port-au-Glace. The morning was cool and cloudy, prompting Fable to put on a windbreaker just to keep her clothes from getting damp.

Coming closer, little details of the village became clear. The homes were made mostly of brick or wood, built on the slopes rising up from the inlet, wood smoke puffing from their chimneys. Between every dozen or so homes were larger meeting houses with double doors, tall wooden steeples, and heavy bronze bells. As they approached the docks, they could see all kinds of economic activity: fishing boats unloading their catch, bales of hay being trucked along the wharf, timber and animal pelts getting loaded onto shipping vessels. Despite the gloom from the clouds, the docks and the town were warmly lit by rows of gas lanterns.

Chad brought Old Dobey up to the end of a pier and threw down the gangway. Atrop offered to pay him double for causing him so much trouble, but he declined.

"Listen," he said bashfully. "I know you meant well. You're welcome back any time. And… I'm sorry about your sister. I hope she's okay."

Atrop sighed with relief and smiled his thanks, shaking Chad's hand heartily. Fable moaned " _ Awww _ " and gave Chad a big hug, pecking him on the cheek with a kiss. Chad, now a little red in his face, waved farewell as Atrop and Fable walked away down the pier.

The first thing they did on reaching the town was report to the Garden. Right across from the wharf was a small telecom station for servicing the sailors. Atrop paid a few gil to the clerk, and he and Fable crammed themselves snugly into a little wooden comm booth. Atrop dreaded sending their report: Nexi missing, and no leads on her whereabouts. But the response they got from Squall was surprisingly reassuring:

> All is well. Nexi reported in and has been reassigned. You are clear to pursue Trabia lead.
> 
> Good work, keep at it.

"Huh," said Atrop aloud. Shame on him for underestimating Nexi. So she was fine, but what was their own plan going to be? 

"Well, what should we do now?" he asked Fable.

Her face brightened. "Can we go to Trabia Garden?"

Atrop smiled at her. "You want to visit them?"

Fable nodded, glowing like a child who was just offered an ice cream. 

"Me too. Let's go!"

To get to Trabia Garden, Atrop and Fable hopped on the Garden's free shuttle. The old diesel-powered bus climbed a few steep hills before entering thick evergreen woods. After an hour or so, the woods disappeared entirely and opened onto endless blue fields. Log cabin farmsteads dotted the way, the occasional herd of cows greeting them at the fence. Every few kilometers there was a road sign warning them of ice and snow drifts -- completely ignorable during these summer months, indispensable during the long Trabian winter.

In the distance ahead were tall, snow-capped mountains, and nestled in between them was a partially enclosed valley. As they bent around an outstretched arm of the mountains, the whole valley suddenly came into view. In it was a large, sad ruin -- Trabia Garden, the unfortunate sister of Balamb and Galbadia Gardens, having faced the brunt of Edea's wrath at the height of her power. The walls of the once great building were like a crumbling gray coliseum, its once majestic halo lying in pieces like a broken crown.

But although the Garden was destroyed, it was not desolate. The sun peeked through the clouds to show that in front of the ruin, new structures had been built. They drove past rows of log buildings, serving as dorms and function halls. Children without uniforms had their classes under meticulously pruned trees, planted and groomed by students specializing in arboriculture. Instead of armories and training centers, there were garden plots, greenhouses, and chicken coops. Among all the students they saw, not one wore a frown, nor a weapon.

The bus slowed as it entered the rotunda in front of the main building -- a tall, triangular lodge made of pine with an amber stain. It was five stories tall, with a steep roof that fell all the way to the ground on either side. As Atrop and Fable left the bus, they looked up at the front of the lodge and saw a delicate, interlaced ring carved on its face. It was large enough to encircle the entire third and fourth floor balconies, strongly reminding Atrop of the former Garden's halo.

The siblings pushed their way through a revolving door and found themselves in an open lobby. In front of them was a big, homely fireplace, with comfortable sofas on a shaggy green carpet. Looking up, they saw second and third floor balconies leaning over the lobby, the occasional student shouting down to a friend below.

To their left was a desk with a receptionist to greet them -- a welcoming, middle-aged woman with a blue-striped turtleneck and soft suede vest.

"Hello," said Atrop to the clerk. "We're students from Balamb. We were wondering if we could visit Instructor Kinneas."

"Oh sure!" replied the receptionist. "She's teaching a class right now. Her favorite spot is at the fountain just inside the Old Garden. Do you need help finding it?"

"No, we can find it. Thanks!" smiled Atrop.

They walked around the fireplace and headed toward the back of the lodge, past tables and couches where students were either studying or laughing together. Very often, they were doing both. Behind the study area, the entire back wall of the lodge was glass -- framing the ruin of the Old Garden in reverence.

Glass doors led them out to a path through a long green quad, lined with young fruit trees, mounds of flowers, and swinging benches. At the end of the quad was the concrete wall of the Old Garden -- still faded in places, but shored up and repaired so that it would not fall. In the center of the wall, shining brightly in the mid-morning sun, was an open, golden gate. To Atrop, walking through the gate felt like walking through the gates of Heaven.

Beyond the gates, a polished brick path led straight through piles of rubble. Rather than rebuild the Garden, most of it was left untouched and the ground returned to meadow. But at the end of the path, a great fountain had been repaired. It had a wide, round pool, and in the middle was a marble statue of the old Trabia Garden, floating angelically above the water. It had been a grand, round building of many archways and balconies, connecting with tall spires that supported the magnificent gold halo rotating above. Surrounding the miniature Garden were six black marble plaques with jets of water rising from behind them. On each plaque were carved the names of all the students and faculty who had died in the Galbadian missile strikes. Some had been junior classmen, no older than thirteen, some as young as six.

In front of the fountain, junior classmen were seated in a circle, listening to a woman sitting on the edge of the pool. She was short, maybe Fable's height, and she had brunette hair with big round bangs and sharply curved ends falling no further than her ears. She wore grass-green overalls over her yellow shirt, and she had a noticeable baby bump. The class laughed with her as she quipped and joked between lessons, speaking in the same childish dialect as her little classmates.

She looked over the class and saw Atrop and Fable approaching. She leapt to her feet and bent forward toward her students, putting a finger to her lips. Then she skipped over the circle of kids and hurried to Atrop and Fable.

"Give me ten minutes," she whispered. "I'm just wrappin' up with these guys. Chill in the lobby for a few, will ya, and  _ don't run away! _ I'll be there in a jif!"

She spun back around as the class started snickering. "Okay! Okay!" she shouted as she ran back over to them.

Ten minutes later, Selphie Kinneas flung open the lobby doors and scanned the room for Atrop and Fable. Finding them at one of the tables, she ran over as fast as her growing womb would let her. She squeezed both of them in big hugs, standing on her toes to reach Atrop.

"Oh my gosh, I can't believe it's you! You've both gotten so  _ big _ , and it's only been a few years! How've ya been?!"

Fable was bursting with happy laughter. "We're great! We just graduated!"

"You  _ did?! _ " Selphie clapped her hands together and bounced up and down. "That’s so  _ exciting _ , I'm so happy for you! I hope Squall didn't put y'all through too tough a ringer. What brings you to these parts?"

"We're on a mission," answered Atrop. "But I've got to admit, we're a bit stuck."

"Oh don't you worry," Selphie waved dismissively. "You come home with me and tell us all about it, and we'll get you squared. Where's Nexi?"

"I'm sorry, Aunt Seph," said Atrop sorrowfully. "We got separated. But she's ok, she's been reassigned somewhere."

"Aw, shucks!" bemoaned Selphie. "It would've been the perfect thing to see y'all at once. Oh well, havin' you two over is just swell. Let's get goin'!"

* * *

Selphie hustled them along to an open parking lot where she had a dusty green pickup truck. She crawled in first, picking up some loose toys and empty bottles, tossing them out the back window into the truck bed. Then she shuffled into the driver's seat and beckoned to Atrop and Fable.

Selphie drove carefully through the Garden parking lot, but as soon as she left it she floored the gas, peeling out briefly as she merged onto the road. They sped down the open highway for only a few minutes before slowing down at the entrance of a dirt road. Down this road was a two-story log cabin with a green-shingled roof and dark brown paint. There was a large, somewhat newer SUV parked in front of the cabin, and next to it was another old pickup, raised on cinder blocks and missing its two front wheels. Behind the home they could see a long log fence extending either direction into the plain. "Home sweet home!" Selphie proclaimed as she pulled up next to the SUV. She hopped out and led Atrop and Fable up to the front door. 

The moment she opened it, the screams and laughter of rowdy kids hit their ears. Feathers wafted through the air as pillows and cushions sailed across the family room. Two six-year-old twin girls were locked in a heated battle with foam nunchucks, jumping between the stone hearth and faded leather couches. They both had Selphie's brunette hair, but one wore her hair long while her sister's was braided into pigtails. Both wore jumpers with a green and white checker pattern. A baby boy, with a mop of brown hair and cheeks flush with baby fat, was sitting quietly in a corner. He was spoon-feeding himself from a tub of yogurt, getting globs all over his denim overalls and the thick blue rug beneath him.

" _ What _ in tarnation is goin' on here?!" Selphie shouted. "Abby! Fan! Pipe down and clean up, we've got guests!" She went to the baby and lifted him from the floor, grunting audibly with exertion. The baby cried loudly as he was pulled away from the yogurt tub. "Irv!" she called, but after no response she yelled again. "IRV!!!"

"What?!" came the reply from an adjacent room. Irvine Kinneas appeared in a doorway on the far side of the living room. He was very tall and still very handsome, his lustrous brown hair falling in a long ponytail from under his black ten-gallon hat. He was wearing a dark green flannel shirt and pants held by suspenders, and brown, dusty chaps with straws of hay stuck to them.

He looked flustered, trying to process all the craziness in the room. But his face brightened when he saw the guests. "Atrop! Fable! Hey, long time no see!"

Selphie roared with frustration, trying to lift the struggling baby into a high chair. "Irv, where the heck were you??! This place is a blasting zone!"

"I'm sorry, Seph!" shouted Irvine over the din. "One of the broncos escaped. I ain't exactly gonna let 'em run around and impale neighbors!"

"Well I hope you got 'em back already, cuz I need ya! Get those chaps off and help me with the room!" 

"Ma, Abby cheated!" cried the twin with the unbranded hair. "We said no magic, and she hit me in the head with a pillow!"

"That wasn't MAGIC, Fan!" argued Abby. "That was my limit break!"

"Gals! I kinda got my hands full with Ames." Selphie got the last strap buckled on the high chair, her youngest child secure. She leaned up and took a deep breath, her hands massaging her lower back. "BEAU! You here?!"

An upstairs door creaked open. Atrop and Fable heard soft, slow footfalls, and then down the stairs came a boy about their age. He was the splitting image of Irvine -- almost as tall as Atrop, a handsome face, his long brown hair kept in a ponytail like his father -- but he was very shy. He hovered in the middle of the stairwell, brushing away one of his long bangs. "I'm here, Mom," he answered timidly. He looked toward the door and saw Atrop and Fable. When his eyes rested on Fable, he blushed deeply.

"Well, come on down, Beau!" invited Selphie, beaming proudly at her eldest son. "Don't you remember your cousins Atrop and Fable?"

Fable squealed with delight. "Hi Beau!!" She hurried up the stairs and nearly knocked him over with a crushing hug. Beau's blush turned from red to a deep crimson.

Irvine came back in the room, this time without his hat or chaps, and corralled the girls into cleaning up before kicking them outside. Selphie insisted Atrop and Fable sit down on a couch while she mopped up the spilled yogurt and fed Ames. Irvine went to the kitchen and came back with a pitcher of lemonade, grapes, a wedge of soft cheese, and some crackers.

As the activity in the room slowed, the conversation picked up. Or rather, the conversation between Selphie and Fable picked up. Irvine, Atrop, and Beau largely just sat awkwardly and listened as Selphie and Fable amplified each other's gossip.

"So Zell had ya during the exam!" Selphie quipped. "That man needs a good partner. It's a shame it never worked out with him and the pigtail gal."

"Pigtail gal?!" cried Fable. "Who was that?!"

"He never told you?? Well, I guess he wouldn't. Sooo embarrassing. This gal had such a crush on him, but when they finally got together, Zell just sat at a table stuffing hotdogs into his mouth. He was so nervous he managed to choke on one and had to spit it out, bun and all. I mean, a gal can love a man through a lot, but when you're just gettin' to know him there's things that'll flat out put you off."

"I  _ know _ , right?? You should have seen Atrop when he--"

"Uh, nope! You really shouldn't have," interjected Atrop.

Fable waved down Atrop impatiently. "Fine, fine. So what's been happening here?! Ames is sooo cute, and the Garden looks like you're all done rebuilding!"

"Ames is such a little joy!" Ames mumbled incoherent baby talk as he stacked blocks up on the hearth. "Takes after Beau -- very quiet, just sits there doin' his own thing."

"As for the Garden! Well, it's definitely a job well done. I mean, we had to start from rubble, you know." A silent tear ran down Selphie's cheek, but she talked right through it. "But with the town we managed to get it on its feet. We didn't skip a single year of classes! Started in tents, and got up the first log buildings just in time for winter. And then we just kept buildin' year after year! Irv and I were busy as heck -- couldn't handle more than one kid for a while. But now that's all settled and we're pumpin' 'em out!" Selphie finished proudly as she patted her bulging womb.

"And what about  _ Beau! _ ..." Fable asked with a devilish glance over to the young man, whose blush was now strong enough to heat the room. "What's  _ he _ been up to?"

"He's a poet, won't you believe it!" answered Selphie. "We don't teach combat anymore at the Garden, you know. Like that old sayin', fight for today, live for tomorrow? It's like I told Squall, he and Galbadia can teach the fightin' for today, while we in Trabia teach the livin' for tomorrow. But yeah, we're teachin' all sorts of stuff now, and Beau's become a natural in language class. Beau, hun! Why don't cha read somethin' to us?"

Beau looked up from his seat like a hunted animal. "Uh...well, I dunno Mom…"

"Oh come on!" Selphie goaded encouragingly. "You write wonderful stuff. They'd love to hear it!"

Beau's blush turned into a reddish purple, but he did as his mother asked. He went upstairs for a minute and came back down with a small, hand-bound journal. As he opened it, a photograph slipped out. He scrambled to grab it and stuff it back in, but not before Atrop was able to get a glimpse of it: a picture from a few years ago, when the Kinneas family met up with Squall, Rinoa and kids for a vacation on Nanchucket Island. A 13-year old Fable was lying in a bathing suit on the beach. Beau was holding a parasol over her, while she shared an ice cream cone with him.

Beau opened to a page that he had earmarked a long time ago. He stared at it silently for a moment, summoning the courage to read the poem in front of him. But then he sat up tall, stared boldly, and began to recite.

> What is a Fable to the mind  
>  of a child listening for the very first time?  
>  Is it a fleeting laugh? A joy?  
>  An animal who learns its rhyme?  
>  A rabbit who loses face  
>  or a tortoise who wins the race?
> 
> What is a Fable to my mind?  
>  The name of one who's crossed my eyes  
>  blurring stars and seas and pretty things  
>  with a grace of beauty beyond reckoning.  
> 
> 
> I see her on the sand one day,  
>  rays of light upon her face,  
>  whether shining from her, or to her,  
>  I cannot say.
> 
> She smiles at me. She shares with me  
>  a treat so sweet, it melts away.  
>  I hold the parasol for shade,  
>  to keep the treat, to keep the sweet,  
>  but it is not the ice cream of whom I speak.
> 
> Was this the last I'll see of her?  
>  Was it my final fantasy?  
>  Or will I find her at least once more  
>  to dream again in ecstasy?

Beau finished reading to find Fable and Selphie stunned -- their faces frozen with joy, their eyes beaming and on the verge of tears.

"AWWWW!!" They both screamed and ran over to hug and kiss Beau. The poor guy was getting his hair ruffled, lipstick kisses smacked onto his turnip-colored cheeks.

Irvine and Atrop sat side by side on a couch, giving each other a slow, sidelong glance. Then Irvine stood up, determined to bail out his son from the overwhelming attention.

"Well! I've got to see to the ranch. I need some strong hands -- Atrop? Beau? You wanna help?"

"Yes, sir!" Atrop and Beau shouted, rocketing to their feet.

Selphie and Fable sensed their discomfort, but it only caused them to burst out laughing. "Okay, okay!" said Selphie. "Don't y'all get yourselves hurt. Fable, be a dear and watch Ames? I'll scrounge somethin' nice for dinner."

The boys nodded and left, nearly tripping over themselves as they hurried out back.

* * *

Irvine and Beau led Atrop through the small kitchen, past its wood stove and an old lead-lined refrigerator, into an unfurnished, unheated mudroom that communicated with the outside. Here was where Irvine's work clothes hung on a wall. He put on his hat and long, leather boots, and buckled his chaps to his waist. His long brown trench coat he left hanging. But from a tall locker he pulled out two double-barreled shotguns. One he handed to Beau. Each of them pocketed ammunition that looked like blunt, heavy metal slugs.

Irvine glanced at Atrop as he loaded a couple rounds into the open breach of his shotgun. "What you got for arms, kiddo?" Atrop opened his jacket and flashed his gun-arm underneath.

Irvine raised his eyebrows. "Wow, good stuff! Yeah, that'll do. You can wrangle any that decide to charge."

Atrop looked quizzically at Irvine -- any  _ what _ that decide to charge? -- but he didn't elaborate. Irvine pushed open the rotting outer door, squealing on its rusty hinges, and led the boys outside.

Behind the house was a large corral, enclosing a huge section of the field within a log fence. Inside was a big red stable with a muddy green tractor and some rusting flat trailer beds lined up against the wall. But what surprised Atrop wasn't the corral; it was what Irvine kept inside it. Roaming in groups on the field were tall, horse-like monsters. They had cloven hooves, groomed purple flanks, and shaggy white manes. On the heads of some of them were sharp, curved blades. A couple of bladed ones snorted nearby, eyeing the boys suspiciously.

"Well Atrop, here's the ranch! These monsters are called mesmerize. They can be hard as heck to tame, but they're worth it once you do. Those blades are like money growing out of their heads."

Atrop's eyes widened as he watched the mesmerize graze the field. The sharp blades looked wider than his arm -- traumatic lacerations just waiting to happen.

"They're amazing, but why couldn't you raise something safer, like chocobos?"

Irvine chuckled. "You ain't the first to ask. Problem is everyone raises chocobos -- too much supply on the market. And then there's Chocoboy away north. He doesn't have a monopoly on 'em per se, but if the chocobos hear him whistle, they'll break out of their pens and run over whether they belong to him or not.

"And the mesmerize, well, not just anyone can farm 'em. They're still monsters -- you need combat skills to keep 'em under control. But those blades are worth their weight in gil for their restorative properties. I sell 'em wholesale to pharma companies who refine them into meds."

Irvine opened the gate and invited Atrop in. "There are a few broncos that I'm still breaking in. We've gotta dehorn 'em before they get too big. Wanna help?"

Atrop watched as one mesmerize stomped with agitation, shoving another away with his head before returning to eat his tuft of grass. Atrop shrugged. It wasn't like they would be the hardest thing he would fight in his career. "Sure," he replied.

"Alrighty! First we gotta separate 'em from the rest of the herd. Beau's got a knack for that, don't you Beau?"

"Yes, sir!" Beau answered, a small hint of pride poking through his normal modesty. He went inside a shed next to the stable. They heard a small engine revving, and then out from behind the shed sped Beau on a four wheeled all-terrain vehicle. Irvine propped open a gate dividing the stable yard from the rest of the field, and Beau drove through. He wasted no time playing around on the ATV; he went straight to work, cutting back and forth across the herd, gradually closing in and backing off until he had separated the three mesmerize he wanted.

To get them over to the stable yard, however, Beau needed to take a different tack. Mesmerize broncos are stubborn, and with their bladed horns they know they are not defenseless. But Beau used that behavior to his advantage. He revved his engine loudly and charged forward, swerving away from the broncos only at the last moment. This kind of aggression enraged the broncos; they reared and neighed loudly, then charged. Beau led them back across the field, through the gate into the stable yard.

The broncos skidded to a stop, wildly stomping around as they realized they were trapped. Beau was circling them on the ATV, and Irvine and Atrop were advancing slowly, shotgun and fists raised.

One bronco neighed desperately and charged for Irvine, his head low, his horn forward to slice. But before he got close, he screamed loudly as a gunshot rang out across the yard. Beau had drawn his gun and placed an expert shot right into the flat of the mesmerize's blade. It snapped off from the head with a loud clang and fell into the dirt. The mesmerize stopped its charge, searching wildly for its missing horn before giving up and fleeing toward the field.

Another bronco was staring down Atrop, snarling at him. It reared high, its neigh sounding almost like a bark, and charged straight at him. Atrop kept his cool, steadying himself for the impact. But to his surprise, the mesmerize chose to strike long before it reached him. It lifted its head high, its white mane thrashing around him, then slung his head forward. The blade detached of its own accord, spinning through the air like a flying sickle. Atrop only just got out of the way before the blade spun past him, embedding itself deep in the wall of the stable.

The mesmerize kept charging, intent to trample him. But Atrop was ready. As the mesmerize reached him, Atrop squared his feet and lifted the mesmerize by its torso, throwing him into the air. The mesmerize slammed into the ground and got up slowly, stumbling in a daze back to the field.

Atrop brought his attention back to the third mesmerize, but Beau and Irvine already had him under control. Beau had lassoed the stubborn bronco around its legs. The beast was scared and furious, slashing wildly to fend off its attackers and cut the rope. But Irvine calmly approached, waited for his opportunity, then broke the mesmerize's blade with a swift blow from the butt of his gun. The creature calmed itself, its breath returning to an even pulse. Beau gave the rope slack and allowed the beast to escape, joining its other subdued brethren in the field.

Irvine holstered his gun and clapped the dust off his hands. "Good work, boys! Let's get those blades into the trailer, and then we'll give the rest of the herd a rubdown."

Grooming the herd was a lot easier than battling the broncos. Beau rounded them into the stable yard where they waited calmly for their rubdown. Irvine showed Atrop all the steps for proper grooming: picking clean their hooves, combing down their coats, and conditioning their thick white manes and tails.

Atrop chuckled as one mesmerize gave him a grateful lick after eating the sugar out of his hand. "This is so weird," remarked Atrop. "Wasn't I just about to get sliced in half by one of these?"

"Yup!" laughed Irvine. "But not these ones. We groom 'em like this to build trust. It gets much easier later on to break their horns when they grow back."

As they worked, Irvine asked Atrop about his mission. Atrop explained everything from the kidnapping attempt all the way through Dr. Odine's mysterious guidance.

"So these Lost Children folk tried to kidnap Rinoa?" Irvine mused darkly. "Well, I can't say I know too much about that. But I think I can help you with Odine. I saw him a few years back."

Atrop perked up. "You saw him?"

"I did! He was passing by, all dressed up for hiking. Wearing a sun hat the size of an umbrella too. Said he was looking for the Tomb of Vascaroon."

Atrop thought for a moment, trying to remember where he had heard that name. Then it struck him: the Tales of Hyne! He'd almost forgotten about that book, still rubbing against his leg in his pocket.

"Vascaroon!" Atrop exclaimed. "Did he end up finding the tomb?"

"Not sure," Irvine replied. "It's not a particularly safe journey. The tomb's away in the mountains north of the Garden. But I suppose if you have the will, even a clown like Odine can make it."

Atrop nodded. "Then that's where we've gotta go. We have to know what's up there."

"Sure," said Irvine. "Seph and I'll make sure you have the gear you need to make it there 'n back twice." Irvine patted the rear of the last mesmerize, letting it trot out of the stable. "Speaking of Seph," Irvine smiled, "I smell dinner."

* * *

Irvine and the boys came inside to a scene that overwhelmed the senses. The air smelled delicious, like tender meat roasted with a sweet glaze. Which was in fact what Selphie was just pulling out of the oven -- two large halves of a turkey breast glazed with maple and mustard. On the counter was home-baked bread, salad, and all manner of roasted vegetables. Ames was already seated in his high chair and feeding himself bits of sweet potato, when he wasn't banging his silverware or dropping the food on the floor.

Everyone else was in the living room screaming with laughter. Abby and Fan had decided to gang up on Fable, engaging in a three-way magical duel of the entirely fluffy and squishy sorts of spellcasting disciplines. When Selphie hollered that dinner was ready, the cushions "magically" restored themselves to their sofas. The boys helped pull out a large, collapsible table, normally used for holiday meals, and set it up in the family room. 

They sat and ate helping after helping, sharing and resharing memories of Balamb Garden. After dinner, to Atrop and Fable's delight, Irvine pulled out a brown acoustic guitar. He and Selphie both took turns on it, sometimes playing a jig for the girls to dance to, sometimes a ballad to sing to. Once, with a suggestive wink to his son, Irvine struck up a particularly merry jig; Beau, picking up the cue, humbly invited Fable to dance with him. Selphie too, with a sly grin, pulled Atrop onto his feet to dance with her. Irvine played the jig at a thrilling pace, laughing as Abby and Fan joined in, the three couples spinning around merrily. Even Ames played along, clapping his hands and squatting up and down with the music. Fable laughed as she saw the surprise and joy in Beau's eyes, and knew there'd be another poem written for her sometime soon. It wasn't until very late that they all drifted to sleep. 

In the morning, Atrop and Fable got ready to leave and continue their mission. The family room and kitchen were as much of a zoo as they were the previous day, Selphie feeding the girls and Ames while Irvine and Beau did morning chores on the ranch. As Atrop and Fable finished their own breakfast, Irvine brought them some hiking gear -- weathered coats lined with fleece, long wooden staves, and packs of dried food and water bottles.

Finally, everyone was assembled outside, the younger kids strapped into the SUV.

"Alright, Irv," Selphie said. "You've got your wish, the kids are comin' with me today. Now get your work done, and no more excuses when you watch 'em again!"

Selphie hurried over to the pickup truck where Atrop and Fable were loading their gear and gave them both a mammoth hug. "It was so good to see y'all! I'll miss you, let's hope we can bang out another vacay soon." And with that, she flew away, hopped into the SUV, and skidded down the driveway back to the main road.

Then it was Atrop and Fable's turn to head out. They saddled into the pickup truck with Beau in the driver's seat. Irvine leaned against the window and gave them a few last minute tips.

"Beau'll drop you off at the head of a trail just north of the Garden. You're lookin' at a few days hike there 'n back. The weather's still pretty mild so I don't expect you'll run into too many monsters, but don't go  _ lookin' _ for trouble."

Atrop smiled with appreciation. "Thanks, Uncle Irv. We'll miss you."

Irvine gave a wink and slapped the hood of the pickup. Beau reversed, then followed his mother down the driveway.

Irvine watched them go until they were out of sight. He then turned away, the smile fading from his face as he walked back to the house. He went into a small office that he and Selphie used for their accounting and other business. On a small, dusty desk was an old audio-only telephone. Irvine picked up the headset and dialed a number.

"Hey. We're good, come on over."

He hung up the phone and went to the kitchen, grabbing two beers from the fridge.

* * *

Irvine stretched out on a lawn chair, taking a sip of the homebrewed beer he had been nursing. He swished it in his mouth, taking mental note of what changes he might make to his recipe. "Don't know why you'd want me," he said aloud. "I don't do that stuff anymore. I'm a rancher now."

Seifer Almasy, sitting in a chair next to him, finished off his own beer. He looked as Irvine largely remembered him: the short blonde hair, the scar on his forehead a perfect mirror of Squall's. Except now he was more grim, more determined than Irvine had ever seen him. 

Seifer shrugged, then flung the empty beer bottle high into the air.

Irvine reacted like a cat. He was on his feet, his shotgun flying out from under his trenchcoat. Before the bottle even began falling, he fired a one-handed shot, bursting it into pieces.

Irvine stood a moment longer, smoke rising from his barrel, watching the pieces of broken glass land in the field. Then he holstered the gun and sat back down, straightening his hat, leaning back as if nothing had happened. "Okay, so I still got it. But even so, why do you want me? I'm 0 for 1 against Sorceresses, you know."

Seifer sat forward in his chair, his arms resting on his knees. "That wasn't on you. The plan was crap. Droppin' the gates on Matron, getting her all riled up and suspicious? You never would've landed a shot with her like that." He settled back, popping open a second beer. "To kill a Sorceress, you need her distracted. She needs a lot of things to concentrate on, a lot of people attacking her.  _ Then  _ you can land a shot and finish her."

"And that's what you want me to do? Finish her?"

Seifer shook his head. "I'm hoping it won't come to that. We want her to come quietly and surrender herself. You'll just be there as insurance."

Irvine shook his head. "I heard about that stunt you pulled at the Garden. Trying to kidnap her 'n all." Irvine suppressed a soft chuckle. "You could've just asked her."

Seifer looked long and hard at Irvine. "I don't think so. She's not just any Sorceress." He leaned in, making sure he'd be understood loud and clear. "It's  _ her _ ."

Irvine held his beer mid-sip, then put it down, looking back sternly at Seifer. "Her! How do you know that?"

A dark cloud passed over Seifer's face as he leaned back. "Trust me. I know."

Irvine nodded, finishing his beer in a gulp. "Won't argue there. I can't think of anyone who'd know better." Seifer didn't answer. He just stared across the plain, brooding over the darkness of his past.

Irvine placed his empty bottle on the arm table next to him. "I need a couple days to make up a pretense for Selphie. I'm not roping her into this."

Seifer nodded. "Makes sense. You've got three days max. Then I'll see you in Galbadia. Deal?"

Irvine paused a moment. His head was telling him it was the right thing to do; his heart had grave misgivings. But even if his heart was right, he knew he still had to go, to keep an eye on things. This was a very bad business, and it'd be better for him to be where he could do something about it.

He rose and clasped Seifer's hand. "Deal." But as Seifer threw on his coat to depart, Irvine stopped him, pressing his hand against Seifer's shoulder. "...Just for insurance, right?"

Seifer looked at him, sensing his doubt. But it couldn't be helped, he figured. After all, he was hiring him to kill a friend. Seifer slapped Irvine encouragingly on the arm. "Yeah. Just insurance."


	9. VIII. Sock and Buskin

Edea's children sailed their ship through the Great Northwestern Sea, bearing on a course for Galbadia City. 

Over the several day journey, Nexi learned a lot about the ship and her crew. She was surprised to discover that they were also SeeD, but not from any Garden. They called themselves Edea's SeeD and they lived and trained aboard their ship. The ship was also an orphanage, with the SeeDs serving as the children's guardians. Even when Edea was controlled by Ultimecia, the SeeDs had sailed -- protecting the children in their care from her onslaught.

Today, the ship still served its original purpose, harboring those young ones who had been displaced by the Galbadian civil war. Nexi found herself sharing her meals and quarters with all sorts of kids -- some as young as three, others old enough to be fledgling SeeD cadets, training in self-defense and learning the various duties aboard the ship.

One golden evening, Nexi stood at the starboard rail and gazed upon the open sea. The younger children played on the deck, running up and down the stairs separating the foredeck from the main. The sailing was smooth and the evening tranquil. The SeeDs on duty took to their work lightly, put at ease by the relaxing conditions.

The captain, an officer by the name of Faros, offered Nexi some company. Nexi accepted, as this was the first opportunity his duties allowed him to spend time with her. He was an older man -- one of Edea's SeeD since the earliest days of the organization. The world had changed much through decades of war, but his duty had always been clear and his devotion to Edea never wavered.

They leaned on the railing as they spoke. "I hope your voyage so far has been a pleasant one," Faros said.

"Very pleasant, thank you." But Nexi didn't offer more conversation. She stared across the ocean, not at anything in particular.

Faros remarked on her silence. "You are discontent, I deem. Is there something lacking in our hospitality that we can remedy?"

Nexi continued staring for a moment more. But then she turned away from the ocean toward Faros, seeming to come to a decision. "No, your care for me is not the issue. But I am confused about your mission. You call yourselves Edea's SeeD, correct?"

"Correct," answered Faros.

"And you've served her your whole life?"

"We have."

"Even when she ruled Galbadia?"

Faros took a breath, perceiving Nexi's concern. "Yes. We served Edea, even when she ruled Galbadia."

Nexi shook her head, bewildered. "I don't understand it. We're SeeD -- our primary mission is to defeat the Sorceress. And yet you continued to serve her, even when she was committing her crimes?"

"We serve Edea, but we fight the Sorceress."

"How can you possibly do both?"

Faros looked at Nexi, tilting his head. "You are from Balamb Garden, are you not?"

"Yes," answered Nexi.

"Then you are Rinoa's SeeD. You serve Rinoa as we serve Edea."

Nexi swallowed, looking away. "Yes…"

Faros nodded as if he now understood something about her. "There are always two parts to a Sorceress: the woman, and the magician. The magician is who we detest -- the deplorable curse of Hyne that infects a Sorceress' very soul. The woman is who we serve, to protect her as best we can from the curse. We fight the Sorceress; we serve the woman. Does that clarify things for you?"

Nexi paused, reflecting. She hadn't thought of it that way before. By Faros' reasoning, she needn't be ashamed of fearing sorcery, to despise it and seek its end. But Rinoa was still Rinoa, still her mother. Like all the Sorceresses before her, she was coping with a monster inside her -- the "beast", as Edea put it. But no Sorceress could handle the monster alone. They needed others, people who loved them and were devoted to them, to help resist a power that would otherwise overwhelm them.

For the first time, Nexi saw her role clearly. She was Rinoa's daughter and protector, and her place was by her side -- even if Rinoa ended up as the world's enemy.

A young, red-haired girl came up to Nexi. Her name was Margot, and she was roughly four or five years old. No one knew exactly how old, because no one knew exactly where she came from -- a homeless child on the brink of starvation, found alone on the desolate streets of Timber. But she found her home on Edea's ship, and she had taken a liking to Nexi. 

"Nexi?" little Margot asked. "We have story time now. Can you tell us a 'Lone story?"

Nexi smiled at the girl. She had been pleasantly surprised that the children here had all heard of Ellone and her stories. Ellone had spent her teenage years here, and today still found occasion to visit the ship and tell her tales -- just as she had done for Nexi, Atrop, and Fable.

Nexi glanced at Faros, who nodded encouragingly. She bent down to Margot. "Of course, darling. Will you bring me to your class?"

Margot nodded and took Nexi's hand, leading her to the bow. Several other young ones were seated on the deck. Their teacher, a young SeeD not much older than Nexi herself, invited her to sit down on the gunwale. Nexi looked across the class, smiling at all their eager faces.

"Would you like me to tell you about Laguna and the Red Dragon?" Nexi asked. The children cheered and then were silent, listening expectantly. "It all began in the Vienne mountains near Esthar. Laguna and his faithful friends were starring in a movie. It was about a Sorceress and her Knight..."

* * *

Beau turned the pickup truck onto a hidden bypass, circling the perimeter of the Garden valley. He stopped the vehicle on the far side of the Garden, parking in a little used pull-off overgrown with grass. Clouds threatening rain were rolling over the mountains. Behind them was the ruin of the dead Garden, blocking their view of the living one beyond it. In front of them was a worn path, shadowed by looming evergreens, leading up into the heart of the mountain range. 

Atrop and Fable got out of the truck and shouldered their hiking packs. A feeling of dread that they didn't understand weighed down on them. Beau seemed to feel it too. "Take it easy, okay?" he said from the truck. "I hope you come back safe."

Fable smiled cheerfully, shaking her own dread momentarily as she thought of him. She spun around and waved goodbye. "Don't worry, Beau! I'll just come back and marry ya!"

This was too much for Beau. He buried his head in his coat, peeling out as he sped down the road.

Fable looked worryingly at Atrop. "Too soon?"

Atrop was staring after Beau with his jaw open. "Uh… maybe!..." But seeing Fable start to turn pale, he quickly followed up. "Don't worry! That kid is head over heels for you, and he's super clutch. He'll probably have a ring waiting for you when we bump into him again."

Fable smiled faintly with the encouragement. But the smile faded as she looked back on the dark path, winding its way into the gloom.

"What do you think we'll find up there?" Fable asked timidly.

Atrop stared silently up the ancient road. "I dunno, sis," he answered. "But we're doing it for Rinoa. We've got to be brave, like SeeDs. Right?"

Fable swallowed and nodded. "Right," she said with some finality. "Like SeeDs."

Atrop shifted his pack and the two of them started their hike, disappearing into the shadow of the forest. 

* * *

The path was so faded that the SeeDs more than once thought they were lost. But soon they noticed a pattern to their road; every 100 yards or so there was a gray standing stone like a little finger, smooth and faded, but regular enough that they agreed it must have been placed by human hands.

After a mile or two, the stones started to show a carved emblem -- a hollow, woven ring, with rays that might have symbolized the sun's corona. But it reminded the SeeDs of something else.

"Atrop…" wondered Fable as she studied the stone. "Does that shape look like… the Garden?"

Atrop doubled back to look closer. "You mean the Garden's halo? Yeah, it kinda does…" Atrop thought for a moment. "The halo of our Garden is Centra technology. Their civilization lasted for thousands of years… it could be that this symbol and the halo are rooted in a common ancestry."

Soon the ground began to rise, the trees to thin. As the canopy opened up, they saw they were climbing through a gorge with gray mountain cliffs walling them in. Then they were above the trees completely, standing on a narrow crest. Behind them, the forest spread out like a dark green carpet, the gorge widening to embrace Trabia Garden in the distant valley. The sky over Trabia was fluid with light and shadow, rays of sunlight peeking through the rolling clouds. But in front of them, the path cut through a crag where everything looked silent, gray, and clammy -- the gate to the wilds of the Trabian mountains. 

The hike was dreary but uneventful. It was colder here from the higher elevation, yet they never went so high as to reach the ever-frozen slopes of the range's insurmountable peaks. The path snaked its way along the mountain sides, sometimes dangerously close to steep, barren slopes where one wrong step would send you into tangled trees 50 feet below. But most of the time the road was easy to follow -- rising and falling with the hills, always marked by those mysterious gray stones the SeeDs had discovered in the forest. 

The path was surprisingly accommodating to travelers. Every few miles there were dry, sheltered areas with circles of stones for campfires and sleeping shelves cut into the rock. Atrop figured there was once regular traffic here -- pilgrims perhaps, paying homage to the great sage whose tomb lay ahead. Atrop and Fable camped in one of these spots their first night. They were comfortable, but deeply wary of their surroundings. There were no sounds in the wilderness -- no singing of birds, no footfalls of foxes. They might have even welcomed the roar of a great snow lion if only it would break the endless silence.

The next day was similar except that Fable was unusually quiet. She had chatted a bit with Atrop the previous day, but now she was gloomier than the gloom around her.

That evening, huddled around their campfire, Atrop asked her why.

"Atrop…" she said, gazing into the fire. "What if we get to the tomb, and we don't like what we find? What if instead of helping Rinoa, we just find something that makes things worse? Like what Nexi said about her being a monster?"

Atrop looked at her, feeling a bit ashamed. "So you heard that, huh?"

Fable nodded and scrunched her knees to her chest. "I didn't say anything because I didn't want you fighting again. I was so scared… you've never fought like that before, never ever."

Atrop nodded, looking back to the fire. "I was scared too. I thought Nexi had lost her way..." He gave Fable a playful nudge. "But she came out alright, yeah? She took on three of those goons at once and saved Rinoa, practically by herself!" Fable smiled weakly, only half convinced.

Atrop eyed her curiously. "What happened to  _ you _ that night, by the way? On the dance floor with those boys?"

Fable giggled softly. "Well, that was kinda my fault… I told Robby he could take me to the secret spot, after the ball."

"So what? That's not so bad."

"But it was after I told Nixon the same thing."

Atrop snorted, choking on the water he had been sipping. "What?! Why on earth would you do that?"

Fable blushed and lowered her head, but the shadow of her face held a sly grin. "Covering my bases, that's all! What if one of 'em didn't show up?"

Atrop chuckled quietly. But in the silence that followed, his thoughts wandered back to Fable's original question. "I don’t know what we'll find up there, Fable. You're right; it could be something really bad." He turned and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "But the truth is the truth whether we know it or not, so it's better that we learn it, right?"

Fable sighed. "I just wish it didn't have to be about Rinoa. I wish it didn't have to be us."

"Me too," answered Atrop. "But… I guess something like this happens to everyone. Something serious with family, I mean. We stop depending on our parents, but then it's our parents who need us." Atrop rubbed Fable's back. "We have to grow up at some point, don't we?"

A little muscle twitched in Fable's neck, but she nodded. "Yeah... I guess you're right."

Their little fire began to die down. Fable pulled her blanket tight and laid her head down on Atrop's lap. "G'night, bro."

Atrop looked down and smiled, brushing Fable's hair behind her ear, admiring the glint of the firelight in her daffodil hairpin. "Good night, sis."

* * *

The path turned into a little clump of woods, and then all of a sudden it was there before them: the entrance to the Tomb of Vascaroon. It was a simple, narrow doorway made of three large stones, but inside were stairs descending into darkness.

Atrop and Fable felt a chill wind blow from the tomb. "Well…" Atrop said. "I guess this is it."

"Atrop," trembled Fable. "I'm scared."

Atrop made no answer. He just looked warily down the foreboding stair, agreeing silently with Fable. He felt that down there must be some terrible doom, written eons ago, waiting across time for them to discover it.

But the SeeDs both knew there was no point in waiting any longer. Odine wanted them to see something here, and here they were. Atrop and Fable, hand in hand, plucked up their courage and descended the dark steps.

The stair led down for quite a while. But before it became too dark they noticed a faint blue light ahead. As they reached the bottom of the stair, they emerged into a dark, low hallway, underlit by a ghastly blue light coming from glowing channels along the walls. The ceiling was in complete darkness and the walls were of moldy stone. There was the sound of trickling water running through the lit channels. If the SeeDs had ever been to the Tomb of the Unknown King in Galbadia, they might have been reminded of it. But the Tomb of Vascaroon was far older -- so old that its date of construction lay before any recorded history.

At the far end of the hallway there was a set of heavy double doors, slightly ajar. Fable was just able to squeeze through and help Atrop pry the doors open a little more. But as she collected herself and turned to examine the new chamber, she jumped and shouted with a short, muffled scream.

The wall in front of her was high and brightly lit. Meticulously carved on it was an enormous skull, red jewels in its eye sockets, glowing eerily in the light. Around the skull was the corona motif -- the halo of the Gardens -- set with ivory and gold mosaic tiles.

"...What is this?" asked Fable.

Atrop studied the image, his hand unconsciously rubbing his chin. "Well, we know the ring, but the skull… didn't the  _ Tales _ say Hyne cast off his skin?"

"So this is Hyne... without his skin?" Fable followed.

Atrop nodded. "The real Hyne -- not the corrupted body he tricked humans with." Atrop looked down the wall. "There's more here. Let's take a look."

The image of Hyne was just the first part of an enormous mural stretching down the long hall. Coming out of Hyne were long rays made with inlaid silver. The rays connected to a dozen silver circles, and in each circle was a mosaic of a woman bowing down to Hyne. Silver lines extended from these women as well, connecting them to more circles further down the mural.

Each mosaic depicted a fascinating illustration of a woman and the attributes she was known for. Some appeared regal and benevolent, bestowing blessings onto their subjects -- plentiful harvests, good health and fertility. Others seemed not so benevolent, their faces evil, slaves at their feet kneeling in rivers of blood. But always there was a shiny silver thread chaining one image to the next, one woman after the other. Below the center of the mural was carved a cryptic title: FITHOS LUSEC WECOS VINOSEC.

As Atrop and Fable walked further, they noticed that the number of women began to dwindle; lines from two women would sometimes merge into one, leaving less threads to pass on. This diminishing effect continued until there were only two women left, one on top of the other. The one above looked young and beautiful, her black hair trailing behind her to her waist, her eyes green and full of sympathy. At her feet were several little children, snuggling against her sides and holding the hems of her simple gray dress. Below her in the other circle was a woman looking the complete opposite. She was tall and brutal; her skin tinted a sickly purple, her hair and eyes red like fire, her head thrown back in cruel laughter. In her massive hands she clutched two little girls, screaming with terror as they struggled vainly to free themselves from her grasp.

From these last two, strikingly different women, two final silver threads reached out and connected to a large circle outlined with a thicker band of silver. Unlike the images before that showed scenes of a life and great deeds, this one focused only on the head and face of its subject, like the skull of Hyne at the beginning of the mural. The hair was feminine, long and colorless, and some of it seemed to be gathered and styled like horns. The woman also wore a cowl made from the pelt of a blue lion, its eyes and upper jaw stretching over the top of her head. But where the face of the woman should be, there was simply a white light, its rays blinding and brilliant.

Beyond this final image, the mural was black. It seemed like it was purposely painted this way, either because there was no story left to tell, or the artist was not permitted to know it. Whatever the reason, the tale of the mural ended in darkness.

Atrop and Fable suddenly heard a little jingling sound. They spun around alarmed, peering deeper down the hall. Near the far end, a tunnel branched off. Atrop and Fable could see the faint flicker of candlelight against the wall as something slowly approached.

Out from the tunnel came a little wooden cart, creaking on little wooden wheels, with a small lantern hanging on a hook. Pushing the cart was a creature like a green toad, standing just above knee height, with bulging, pale eyes and a green tail sticking out from under its brown monk's robe.

Atrop seized Fable's wrist, squeezing it tight. "Don't move!" he whispered hoarsely, his eyes wide with fright.

"What is it?" asked Fable.

"It's a tonberry," answered Atrop. "They're agents of Death itself. One touch of their knife can kill you in an instant!"

"Is that one wearing… a chef's hat?"

Atrop raised an eyebrow in spite of his fear. "Wha?..." But looking closer, he saw Fable was right: on the tonberry's head was a tall white chef's hat. On the cart in front of him was a cutting board, his deadly knife lying next to chopped leeks. Warm steam simmered up from a bowl of soup.

The tonberry stopped for a moment and stared at Atrop and Fable, his lidless yellow eyes never blinking. But after a moment he simply turned away, continuing to push his squeaky cart across the hall. He disappeared through another set of doors, the light of the lantern casting his shadow behind him.

Atrop and Fable gave each other a puzzled look. "Where do you think he's going?" asked Atrop.

They walked to the end of the hall and followed the tonberry. Through the doors was a dark, high-vaulted chamber, roughly square in shape, with alcoves on all sides containing stone coffins. But on the far side of the room was a huge stone table, illuminated by a pale blue light from the ceiling. On the table lay the largest man Atrop and Fable had ever seen. 

The man had the bulk and muscles of a fell warrior, but he seemed to be naked, covered only by a simple white sheet from his chest to his feet. His skin was olive green and his head was bald, resting comfortably on a white pillow. From the top of his head down to his chest was a horrible white scar, dividing him in half. Around his body lay steel armor, still kept buffed and polished, and a black horned helmet that had been cloven in two. In the wall beyond his feet was a huge closed sarcophagus, embossed with the image of a great six-legged horse. There was no weapon about him. 

The giant lay like he was dead, his eyes closed in seemingly eternal slumber. But when the tonberry wheeled his cart to him, the man opened his orange eyes. He slowly heaved himself onto his elbow and reached down to take the soup, pinching the tiny bowl between his enormous thumb and forefinger. He threw the liquid back into his mouth, swallowing it a single gulp, then returned the bowl to the tonberry. The tonberry bowed and turned his cart to leave. As he passed Atrop and Fable, he looked up and made a sound like a cross between a meow and a croak -- his way of saying "Greetings", Atrop supposed.

As the tonberry left through the open door, the man on the table spoke with a deep, loud voice, making the very air tremble.

"Welcome, intruders. Deign you to heap scorn upon my worthless person?"

The SeeDs spun around. The giant had shifted himself up, leaning his back against the wall of his great alcove. 

Atrop and Fable looked at each other stunned. "N-No, sir!" exclaimed Atrop. "Why should we do that?"

The giant narrowed his eyes. "You know The Lion, I perceive."

"The Lion?..." wondered Atrop.

"I bound my sword to his will. You have known him for many years."

"You mean… Squall?" offered Fable.

The giant shuffled slightly, settling his back into a more comfortable position. "I know him not by that name. He is The Lion, whether he realizes himself to be or not.

"He fought many battles, and in his service I slew many foes. Until we fought The Knight. I rode forth to vanquish The Knight, but it was he who vanquished me. He slew my steed..." The giant looked solemnly toward the sarcophagus at his feet. "And he cleaved me." Atrop shuddered as he looked anew on the giant's horrible white scar. "But I do not die as mortals do. So here I lie in defeat, awaiting a death that will never come."

It suddenly dawned on Atrop who he was speaking to. He slapped his hand to his forehead in shock. "I know you! You're a Guardian Force!" he exclaimed, thinking back to those powerful spirits whose use was banned by the Garden. "You're  _ Odin _ !"

Odin said nothing, but huffed and stared hard across his prostate body. Suddenly there was a tremendous gusting of wind; a great magical portal appeared in the ceiling, currents of air whirling around it like a vacuum. Out from this tumultuous hole fell another giant, clothed in a tattered red cloak and baggy polka dot pants. He boasted many arms, but most of these were fake and made of wood. What weren't fake were the four enormous swords sheathed on his back.

As the portal above him closed, the giant howled with rage. "WHO DARES TO NAME THE FALLEN WARRIOR?!" His blank white eyes narrowed on Atrop. "WAS IT YOU?! DIE!!"

The giant swiftly drew one of his swords and swung it down. Atrop, surprised by the sudden violence, raised his arm hastily to take the blow. But the giant's weapon was rusted to the core; it shattered harmlessly against Atrop's armored forearm, crumbling to dust.

"EXCALIPOOR… OH, FOR SHAME..." The giant seated himself on the floor, covering his face with his hands. Atrop slowly brought his arm down, a cold sweat dripping from his forehead. He dared not remind the giant of the three perfectly good swords he still had sheathed.

Odin smirked grimly. "Be not ashamed, Gilgamesh. For my part I forgive this young human. He cannot dishonor me any more than I have been already."

Gilgamesh slowly brought his hands down and rested them on his crossed knees. He stared steadily at Atrop. "VERY WELL, BROTHER. BUT WHO ARE THE HUMANS, AND WHAT IS THEIR BUSINESS HERE?"

Atrop looked sadly at Fable, who shrugged. "To be honest," answered Atrop, "we don't know. We were told we would learn something here."

"HMPH!" grunted Gilgamesh. "THE FALLEN WARRIOR KNOWS MANY THINGS, BUT I DOUBT YOU WILL LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO LEARN THEM ALL."

Fable swallowed. "Can you perhaps tell us how we can help Rinoa?"

"I know not that name," said Odin flatly.

"I'm sorry… you know the Sorceress? The one alive today?"

Odin slowly turned his head and looked long at the SeeDs. "The Sorceress? Yes, I know her. And you do too, though I see you do not know her as you should."

Odin began to laugh. The low rumbling it made caused Atrop and Fable to shudder. 

"Yes, I know the Sorceress. Her time is upon us… the time of Convergence."

Fable gulped. "...C-Convergence?"

Gilgamesh spoke, almost as if in a trance. "HYNE BEQUEATHED THE GIFT. THE GIFT BEGOT THE SUCCESSION, AND THE SUCCESSION LEADS TO THE CONVERGENCE."

"Hyne was the giver," continued Odin in the same tone, "the Sorceresses his successors. And now comes the Convergence -- Hyne's gift made whole again. And Hyne?" A melancholy grin formed on Odin's face. "He will have his vengeance on you humans who usurped him."

"But… Rinoa?" asked Atrop, almost in a whisper.

Odin turned his fell gaze on Atrop. "The Sorceress is among us, but she knows not herself. Worry not! She will be realized soon. And then… her reign begins."

Fable gripped Atrop's arm, her hand cold as ice. "Atrop?… I want to go home."

Atrop trembled inside with the same fear as his sister. "Yeah… we better go…"

Without another word to the giants, Atrop and Fable turned around and walked briskly toward the exit. Gilgamesh said nothing, his unblinking eyes following their path. Odin, however, raised his arm in a token of farewell. "Fear not the night, young humans! It will claim you as surely as it claims the day." But Atrop and Fable didn't register these words. They fled from Odin's chamber, swiftly passing the foreboding mural, desperate to reach Balamb Garden as fast as their mortal bodies could carry them.


	10. IX. The Lost Children

The white SeeD ship arrived at Galbadia City, docking in port as the late afternoon sun began to sink into twilight. As they approached the pier, Nexi saw hill upon hill of low brick buildings, rising to a great Triumphal Arch in the distance.

The ship berthed on a long concrete pier near some trading vessels, workers shuffling back and forth at the change of shift. After giving Margot a big hug and a promise to return whenever she could, Nexi walked down the gangway and stood on the pier with Faros.

"I should warn you," cautioned Faros, "there is a rally in the city tonight. An anti-Sorceress march, according to my reports. You would do well not to overly boast your allegiance to Balamb." Nexi looked down, stunned by the news. The Lost Children had apparently not been idle while they were pursuing the Odine lead.

"I understand," nodded Nexi. Faros clasped both her hands. "Until we meet again, Nexi. May the truth be your guiding light." And with that, Faros saluted and returned up the gangway. Nexi gave one final wave to the children aboard the ship. Cries of "Bye, Nexi!" and "We'll miss ya!" followed her all the way to the end of the pier.

Nexi's first thought was to take a bus to the central train station. It wasn't far from the Triumphal Arch, near downtown -- a good place to contact Squall and get her bearings. Also, it was near the city's beltway -- a long road circling through the city with the Arch in its center, and the likeliest route for the anti-Sorceress march.

Nexi managed to catch an express bus -- one of Galbadia's distinct red trolley buses. As the bus climbed the hill, the nondescript brick buildings gradually started to take on a more classical, "old town" appearance. The bricks changed from red to a sandy beige. Windows became framed with stone arches and granite sills. Red cloth awnings stretched from store fronts across brick sidewalks. Street lamps became iron and glowed with soft, electric light as the evening settled in.

Traffic slowed as the bus approached the beltway, wheedling its way past throngs of people making their way to the march. Nexi saw that many people boasted symbols on clothing and cardboard signs. Some patriotically wore the three pronged sigil of Galbadia. Others showed more disturbing signs: white angel wings, either dripping with blood or crossed with a bright red 'X'. Some, to Nexi's dismay, showed a faceless girl with a gag across her mouth: the symbol of the Lost Children.

As the bus approached the station, it left the main road and entered a special underground tunnel. It emerged inside the station, pulling up to a curb opposite long train platforms. The station was eerily silent, most people already street-side to enjoy the spectacle of the march.

Nexi stepped onto the platform and looked around. The station was lofty, with tall metal and concrete arches supporting a ceiling several stories above her. To her left was a set of tall escalators climbing to the street and ticketing booths. She rode the escalators up, and then rode another set to the waiting area above street-level.

The escalator dropped her off in a silent, dim room with many empty benches. On the far wall was a set of large, semicircular windows looking toward the Triumphal Arch. Nexi walked to one window and looked about the city. The arch dominating her view was a massive structure, decorated with sculptures of horsemen riding to victory, underlit by powerful flood lamps. An avenue passed under it, sealable by a great iron portcullis. Crossing the station right beneath her window was the road of the beltway. People lined up on the sidewalks, chatting excitedly as they awaited the march.

Suddenly, Nexi heard loud banging from down the street. Cheers and applause rose from the people as the rally marchers came into view, led by a line of heavy drums. The drummers were followed by hundreds of marchers, waving torches and shouting calls for the downfall of sorcery. Amongst the marchers were several raised biers, each carrying a standing effigy of a Sorceress. Nexi recognized the first two as Adel and Edea, robed in black and decorated with their respective black and gold wings. The third effigy, Nexi realized, was of Rinoa -- a blue cardigan wrapped around her body frame, a long black wig draped on her paper head, feathered white angel wings spread to her sides.

As the effigies passed Nexi's window, the marchers sent them up in flames. Nexi's heart raced with panic as the crowd roared with frenzied delight, watching the effigy of Rinoa burn. The white wings shriveled and smoked until they became black. The head burned faster than the black wig, the face flaring like a blinding star before the effigy collapsed onto the bier. 

As Nexi watched the hellish procession, a man dressed as a Galbadian soldier came quietly up the escalator. He was still for a moment, watching Nexi's back through his goggles while he silently drew a straight, single-edged sword. He stepped lightly across the waiting area, daring not to make a sound as he approached her.

But Nexi had been aware of him since the moment he arrived, his reflection clear on the brass railing in front of her. Before the soldier could react, Nexi spun around with her gunblade and dirk drawn, her blade's edge pressed against his neck.

The soldier dropped his sword and slowly raised his hands. "You're a hard one to pin down," he admitted, speaking through his black facemask.

"Likewise," quipped Nexi. "Take off your mask."

The soldier carefully removed his helmet, revealing his charcoal hair and bright blue eyes. Nexi's own eyes went wide as he pulled down his mask and exposed his charming, boyish face.

"...Jason," Nexi said, the full weight of disillusionment collapsing on her.

Jason nodded back, guilt and sorrow growing inside him. "Yes."

Nexi let her weapons fall, as did Jason his arms. She turned back toward the parade, disgusted even to look at him. "You were after me on the boat, and the train."

"Yes," was all Jason could reply.

"And you were after Rinoa at the graduation ball."

"...Yes," he answered, sitting down on a bench, his head falling in shame.

Nexi shuddered, as furious at her own foolishness as she was at Jason. "Why do you want me?" she finally asked.

Jason looked up at her. "We wanted to bring you in… see if we could recruit you."

Nexi huffed quietly. There was no chance of that now, she knew, but she wasn't about to tell Jason that.

She scanned the city, the torchlight flickering on her face as she looked for a safe meeting place. Her eyes rested on a well-lit building a few blocks down the street: _The Galbadia Hotel_.

"You want to bring me in? Fine. The Galbadia Hotel lounge, 9 PM. Your leader comes alone and unarmed. We sit, and we talk. Deal?"

"Deal," agreed Jason quietly. He rose slowly like a beaten puppy, gathering his sword and helmet. Before leaving, he turned back. "Nexi--"

"Don't," Nexi cut him off sharply. "Don't even start."

Jason hung his head. He turned slowly back to the escalator, knowing the damage had been done.

* * *

After the parade had passed and the crowd dispersed, Nexi crossed the street and headed into the hotel. The lobby was a classy place, brightly lit by crystal chandeliers, trimmed with gold and cherry wood. The floor was tiled with jade marble, the furniture upholstered with red leather.

By the revolving entrance doors was a wall featuring all the renowned artists who had performed in the hotel lounge. Nexi only glanced at them as she entered, but stopped as she recognized one in particular. There was a beautiful woman with long brunette hair, seated at a piano in a wine red dress. Nexi blushed like a bashful little girl; it was Julia, her grandmother. She reached out, trying to touch the woman she could never meet, hoping to sense something about what she was like. But inside, she knew the answer; she knew how much Rinoa loved her, how much to this day Rinoa would try to mimic her mannerism, to recreate the kind of grace Julia used to project. Rinoa had only been five years old when Julia died -- only five, and yet a lifetime of Julia seemed to live on in her memory. You didn't have to meet a person to know them; you just had to look at the people they touched.

Nexi wanted to stay longer by the poster of Julia, but she had a job to do. She walked further into the lobby and asked the receptionist for the lounge. She was directed to a stairwell on her right, descending into a dark, dimly lit room.

From the top of the stairs, Nexi could see the entirety of the lounge. It was a romantic place -- carpeted in a rich red, lit only by candles on the cocktail tables and a soft electric light over the bar. Booths with blue suede cushions were oriented toward a stage by the stairwell. A black grand piano was there, its lid closed. 

The room was empty except for a few regular patrons. Nexi could hear the recording of soft piano music playing from an audio system. Most people were out for the rally and there would be no performance tonight. Nexi grew nervous; she was expecting more people to give her some cover. If the Lost Children wanted to attack her here, they could easily gain the upper hand. But there was nothing she could do now; she'd just have to make the most of it.

Nexi went up to the bar and ordered a coffee. She took a seat on the far side of the lounge, facing the stairwell, and waited.

Time seemed to draw on. She glanced at the clock above the bar -- 9:15. They were late. Nexi grew restless as she contemplated how to handle the situation. Did she keep waiting? Should she leave a note with the receptionist, directing whoever called for her to a different, safer location?

While Nexi was mulling all this over, she didn't notice that a door behind the bar had opened. A tall man was framed in the doorway, silhouetted by the bright light from the kitchen. He stood there for several moments, studying Nexi, gleaning every detail he could about her. Then he walked in, the door closing silently behind him as he strode across to where she sat.

Nexi's back was toward him; she didn't notice him approach until he was almost on top of her. "So we finally meet, Nexi." Nexi's shoulders tensed; she could feel the power in the man's voice -- suave, sensitive, yet filled with deep emotion. She knew for sure that whoever he was, he was not an individual she should take lightly.

The man walked to the other side of the table and sat down, bringing himself into the candlelight. He was handsome -- cropped blonde hair, dark charming eyes. He wore a blue vest with a silver cross embroidered across his chest. But Nexi had all eyes for his facial scar -- almost an exact twin of Squall's, except it was on the right instead of Squall's left.

"And who are you?" she asked.

"You mean Squall never mentioned me?" The man chuckled softly, throwing his head back as he did so. "Then again, why would he? He was never the romantic type."

Nexi's cheeks flushed as she thought about Squall, the glowing pride in his eyes when he had given her the trinity pendant. "I think he's plenty romantic," she replied coolly.

The laughter faded from the man's face. He stared hard at her. "Well, since you're ignorant of who I am, I'll introduce myself. I'm Seifer."

Nexi let a thin, hard smile come across her lips. "I know who you are," she said. "You were Sorceress Edea's lapdog."

Seifer showed no emotion on his face. Only his eyes flashed with the hidden anger he harbored. "Squall's words?" he asked.

"No. Mine, after reading about you in the history books."

Seifer stared at her a moment longer, then let his own cynical smile appear. "You're definitely Squall's daughter, I'll give you that."

"I'm also me," Nexi added, taking another sip of coffee. "So why am I here, Seifer?"

The emotion in Seifer's eyes seemed to change: from black anger, to slight amusement. "My colleagues believe you might be willing to join us."

"Do you?"

"Maybe." Seifer relaxed, pulling a spare gunblade magazine out of his pocket and fiddling with it on the table. "I need a little convincing."

"So do I," retorted Nexi. "And you'll understand if I have a little difficulty trusting you."

Seifer nodded, contemplating, his eyes never leaving her. "Okay, Nexi. Here's what I'm willing to do. You come with me tonight and meet the team. I promise no harm will come to you before you make your decision."

Nexi couldn't help but laugh out loud. "And how do I know you'll keep your promise?"

Seifer's thin smile widened to a grin. He gave a mocking bow. "On my honor, of course! -- as the SeeD I was never allowed to be."

Nexi grew serious again as she wondered about this jest. But Seifer didn't elaborate. He just sat there, waiting patiently for her answer.

It was dangerous, she knew. But at the pace the Lost Children were moving, she didn't have very many alternatives if she wanted to protect Rinoa. "Alright. Deal."

"Good," finished Seifer. "My car's outside."

* * *

Seifer led Nexi through the kitchen, out the back door to an alley. A shiny black limousine was waiting for them, two men disguised as Galbadian soldiers standing by. At a sign from Seifer, one of them went to the driver's seat and turned on the engine. The other stepped to the side and opened the passenger door. Nexi recognized him as Jason, but she made a point not to even acknowledge him. Jason let out an exasperated sigh and entered the limo after Seifer, closing the door.

The journey was long and the cabin silent. They drove out of the city, heading east on a dark highway across the plain. The moon was a waning crescent that night -- far from its full brilliance, but its presence was still just as imposing. In the dim silver light, Nexi watched as the rolling fields became desert, followed by jagged plateaus and canyons.

It was well after midnight when the limo bent around a cliff wall and Nexi saw their destination. It was a large, cylindrical building, red with a gold and blue halo rotating above it -- Galbadia Garden, shining like a glowing ruby in the night. Why there, Nexi wondered? But maybe she shouldn't be surprised. Jason was a graduate of Galbadia Garden; it was probable Seifer was sourcing his recruits from there.

They approached the gate to the parking garage, but at the last moment they turned and descended into a tunnel, lit by dull electric lamps fixed to the concrete walls. The road seemed to go down forever, but Nexi noticed there was a steady curve to it like they were winding down a giant corkscrew.

The tunnel emptied out into an enormous cylindrical chamber. A solid concrete outer wall climbed to almost invisible heights. The chamber stretched several hundred yards across, and in the middle was a rusty metal tower -- like a big navy ship, with thick bulkhead doors and narrow windows. As Nexi walked on foot toward this structure, she looked up and understood that she was _beneath_ the Garden.

Nexi followed Seifer through a main door into the tower. Jason dropped away, returning to some other duty. Seifer took Nexi up a ramp and narrow stairs until they reached a wide room near the top, with dusty narrow windows and rusting control panels -- like the bridge of an old ship.

Seifer brought Nexi to an adjacent compartment -- an officer's wardroom, windowless and walled with studded metal panels. In it was a bare wooden table with three other people. Nexi recognized one woman right away by her long blonde hair and striking blue eyes -- Quistis Trepe, the headmaster of Galbadia Garden and onetime companion of Squall and Rinoa. The other two people she didn't know.

Seifer seated himself at the far end of the table; Nexi sat opposite from him, close to the door. "Allow me to make some introductions," Seifer began. "Quistis I presume you already know." Nexi and Quistis exchanged emotionless glances. "This is Fujin," he continued, gesturing to the woman on his left. Fujin had cropped gray hair and one rose colored eye -- her other eye was covered with a black patch. She wore a trim blue coat and sat up straight, her manner austere. She addressed Nexi with a curt nod. "And this is Raijin," Seifer concluded, indicating a big, burly man leaning in a chair next to Fujin. Raijin had dark skin and short dark hair, and wore a simple black T-shirt accenting his thick arm muscles. "Hey," he said with a wave, his voice surprisingly tenor rather than the baritone Nexi expected. Looking at the size of Raijin, Nexi surmised that these three -- Seifer, Raijin, and Fujin -- were the ones she had found trying to kidnap Rinoa.

"So now that you've met us," Seifer said as he leaned back, "what would you like to know?"

Nexi looked at each person in the room, finding the same studious, suspicious expression on each of their faces. Her own body was tense and on the edge of her seat, ready to spring into action if she needed to. "Well, we can start with the obvious," she said. "Why are you after Rinoa?"

"I suppose to answer that, we should explain our purpose," Seifer replied. "You are aware of SeeD's mission, I assume?"

"Of course," answered Nexi. "To defeat sorcery."

"Not just any sorcery," Seifer corrected. " _The_ sorcery. The Sorceress -- the one who threatens us more than any Sorceress in history."

"...Ultimecia," concluded Nexi.

"That’s right," nodded Seifer. "Twenty years ago, Ultimecia sent her consciousness from the future back to our time. She possessed the Sorceresses of our day to attack our world."

"With your help," Nexi chided.

Fujin and Raijin shuffled uncomfortably. Seifer made no movement at all -- he only stared, a vengeful fire burning behind his eyes. "Yes," he acknowledged. "Ultimecia wanted more than just to attack us. She wanted to achieve a world only she could exist in -- a world of Time Compression."

Nexi raised an eyebrow. "Time Compression?"

Quistis leaned in to explain. "Past, present, and future together as one. She would have been all powerful, while we would be her slaves forever." Quistis looked imploring at Nexi. "Ultimecia may have had Seifer's help, but not mine. Myself, Squall, Zell, Selphie, Irvine, even Rinoa… we all fought Ultimecia. We stopped her in the present, defeating Edea and destroying Adel, and then we traveled to the future and fought her there. We won that battle, and we came back. But our mission wasn't over."

Seifer continued. "You see, Squall and the gang killed Ultimecia in the future. But that's the future. Where did she come from? How did she get her power? She ruled the world in her time; for all we know, she had ruled it a thousand years before Squall came, enslaving humanity for centuries."

Seifer leaned over the table, looking earnestly at Nexi. "We're not about to let that happen. The Lost Children will stop Ultimecia before she starts. And we'll do anything in our power to ensure that."

Nexi took a deep breath. "Sounds noble enough to me," she conceded. "But that's Ultimecia you're talking about. What does Rinoa have to do with it?"

"Simple," Seifer answered. "Rinoa _is_ Ultimecia."

Nexi looked up startled. She stared incredulously at Seifer, and was even more bewildered when she saw the same solemn faces on Quistis, Fujin, and Raijin. 

"...bullshit," she muttered.

Seifer narrowed his eyes. "What did you say?"

"I said _bullshit!_ " Nexi shouted, banging her fists on the table. "What the _hell_ do you mean, 'Rinoa's an evil Sorceress from the future'?! It's _nuts!_ "

"Naive," replied Fujin, her tone stern and monotonous.

"Yeah," added Raijin. "Ya can't let your emotions get in the way, ya know?"

"We know how you feel about Rinoa," consoled Quistis. "We all feel the same. But you have to trust us, Nexi: she _is_ Ultimecia."

"How the hell do you know that?! Where's your proof?!"

Quistis held back her answer, looking to Seifer. "You might ask me that," he said. "I was her _lapdog_ after all. Rinoa has power we've never seen in anyone before, maybe in anyone ever. I know that power, I _slaved_ for that power. Trust me kid, she's Ultimecia!"

Nexi laughed sardonically, leaning back with her eyes closed. "There you go with trust again. 'Trust me, your mother's a psycho,' you say. Right. I'm done."

A vein bulged on Seifer's neck as he choked back his rage, tempted to end the charade and subdue Nexi now. But a sweet sounding voice suddenly interrupted them.

"Seifer? May I speak to her?"

The voice had come from a slightly open door behind Seifer. Nexi knew the voice as well as any child knows their parents. She knew it... and was terrified. She looked at Seifer desperately, pleadingly, begging with her eyes for forgiveness, if only she would not have to go into that room and confirm what her ears had already told her.

But Seifer was unsympathetic. His face was stern, his eyes locked on Nexi. "Of course… sis." Seifer rose from his chair and welcomed Nexi toward the door.

Nexi felt like a frightened mouse, but there was nothing she could do, no escape possible. She rose unsteadily from her chair and walked slowly to the far side of the wardroom.

She gently pushed open the door. Inside was a captain's cabin, impeccably clean and beautifully furnished. There was a soft daybed against one wall of the room. Next to it was an ornately carved end table with a glass table lamp and a porcelain tea set, steam rising from the teapot. And next to the table sat the suave, elegant woman who had spoken.

Aunt Ellone.

Nexi stood in the doorway for a moment, her train of thought arrested, her eyes frozen in complete shock as the sweetness of her childhood clashed with cold, hard reality.

Ellone rose slowly, her expression cautious but sympathetic. "Hello, Nexi."

Nexi didn't answer. She didn't want to say or do anything that would force her to acknowledge the truth in front of her eyes.

Ellone's eyes softened, pained by the hurt she saw in Nexi. "I know you weren't expecting to see me here… I hope you will give me a chance to explain."

Nexi made a slight motion with her head, her eyes thawing slightly from shock into cold inquisitiveness.

Ellone hugged herself, rubbing her arms as if she was shivering. "I... have an ability, Nexi. I don't talk about it much. You see, I can send people to the past."

Nexi's curiosity finally overcame her paralysis. "What do you mean?" she asked quietly.

"I can take your consciousness and connect it to someone else's past. I don't mean their memories… you actually go there. You experience the real past, in their shoes."

Ellone looked into Nexi's eyes, speaking as delicately as possible. "I would like to show you."

Nexi felt like she was in a dark dream, no longer in control of her body, no longer in control of anything. She was completely helpless, already in the throes of the nightmare… the only way out now, she knew, was to follow it through. With nothing else to answer, she nodded.

Ellone smiled faintly. "Please," she gestured to the daybed. "Lie down."

* * *

Nexi lay down on the daybed and did her best to get comfortable, folding her hands across her stomach. "Your body will remain here, asleep, while you are gone," Ellone consoled her. "You will be safe, and I will return you to your body when we are finished. Are you ready?"

Nexi gave a subtle nod.

"Good. Close your eyes."

Nexi did so. She began to feel drowsy, like being lulled under a Sleep spell. Very soon she could no longer resist and lost all consciousness. But at that very moment, there was a sound like rushing wind and she was flung into light.

It took Nexi a minute to understand where she was. The light she saw was bright daylight, shining on an endless field of beautiful wildflowers. It struck Nexi how much the field was like the one near Edea's house, but it was also different. Instead of a wooden lighthouse and cabin, there was a stone ruin; tall marble columns that once supported a roof lay crumbling nearby. To the right of the field was a narrow path, leading to a structure like an old library or temple, with a collapsed gray triangular roof and rotting wooden doors.

But the action, it seemed, was happening in front of her. Amongst the white and yellow flowers stood a young woman, her back turned to Nexi, her long black hair flowing over her light blue cardigan. Embroidered on her upper back was a pattern of white angel wings.

She turned around and looked directly at Nexi, her dark brown eyes playful, loving, and intimate.

Nexi recognized the young Rinoa in front of her and felt her heart race, elated with emotion. But almost in the same moment, she realized that it wasn't her own heart racing. She looked down and saw she was in the body of a young man, dressed in black with brown leather belts on his waist, his jacket lined with white fur. Sheathed at his hip was a gunblade, but it wasn't her Trinity. This gunblade was broad and heavy, and it was embossed with the image of a great winged lion. That's when Nexi understood; the gunblade was Revolver, and the body she was in was a young Squall. But she was more than just inside him. She was in his mind, feeling his feelings, hearing his thoughts -- connected to him, in every sense of the word.

At the moment, Squall's thoughts were silent. He was listening, waiting expectantly for Rinoa to say what she needed to say.

Rinoa looked down shyly, tracing the ground with her toe. "What'll become of me?"

What'll become of her. She had just learned that she was a Sorceress… and had brought havoc to Esthar while under Ultimecia's control, having released the Lunar Cry.

Squall was being stubborn, Nexi perceived. He didn't want to think about this, to admit what he would have to do if Rinoa became… worse.

"Don't worry about it," he said. But Nexi sensed the emptiness of his words, how he was saying them to reassure himself as much as Rinoa.

"There've been many good Sorceresses," he continued. "Edea was one. You can be like her."

Rinoa wasn't convinced. "But Edea's still… I can't guarantee anything either. If Ultimecia possesses me again, will I end up fighting everyone?" Rinoa clutched at the two rings on her necklace: one her mother's, the other Squall’s precious Griever. "Scary thought, isn't it?"

She was right, Nexi knew. It was a scary thought, and she sensed Squall refusing to think it. He had just found his love in Rinoa, and she was suggesting that he would have to… No, Squall interrupted himself. In the mad scramble to rationalize his way out of the predicament, it suddenly struck him that a Sorceress never struggled alone. She always had her Knight.

 _Rinoa…_ Nexi felt him say to himself. _Even if you end up as the world's enemy, I'll… I'll be your knight._

But these words weren't said aloud. Rinoa didn't hear them, and therefore continued with her own musings. "If I fall under Ultimecia's control again..." 

Don't, Rinoa. Don't say it.

"...SeeD will come kill me, right?"

Squall's heart beat faster, the panic rising in his chest.

"And the leader of SeeD is you, Squall…"

Squall shook his head, trying to shut out the thought.

"Squall's sword will pierce my heart," Rinoa said. "I guess it's okay if it's you, Squall. Nobody else."

Squall shuddered. Nexi felt his despair, his futility in trying to ignore the inevitable truth.

"Squall, if that ever happens…"

"That’s _enough!_ " Squall burst, sweeping his hand through the air. "I'll never do anything like that. The Sorceress I'm after is not you, Rinoa. My enemy is the Sorceress from the future… Ultimecia."

Rinoa had jumped at Squall’s outburst, but she didn't back away. Instead, she leaned forward, peering into Squall as if trying to read his innermost thoughts.

"Ultimecia lives in the future and possesses me," she said. "She uses my body as her extension in this world. How? How will you save me?"

Squall sighed deeply. He couldn't answer that. But then again, did it really matter whether he could? The important thing wasn't _how_ he would save her, but that he was going to try. He would spend his whole life trying to save her, if that's what it took.

Nexi perceived all of this and was awed. This was the moment, she knew, when Squall had bound himself to Rinoa for eternity. From this moment forward, he would be by Rinoa's side, through thick and thin, through peace and war… through life and death.

Profound things being said. Promises being made... and the flowers were listening.

"I'll come up with something," Squall responded to Rinoa. "There's gotta be a way." He stepped closer, within inches of her. "Don't worry. Trust me."

Rinoa looked into Squall's eyes, into Nexi's eyes; still uncertain of her future, but confident at least that in Squall there was someone she could face it with -- someone she could rely on. 

"...I trust you."

Nexi was pulled away from the moment as suddenly as she had arrived. Rinoa and Squall receded rapidly as the world became a dark blur, but just as everything went black, Nexi found herself in a new place, in a new time.

She was in a room now, with walls and floors of steel bathed in fluorescent blue lights. There were strange control panels along one wall, and across from her was a glass window looking over a large inner cell, the only escape through a single sealed door. Printed on a metal sign behind her were the words, "O-Lab: Maximum occupancy 12."

O-Lab… Odine's Lab. She was in Esthar City then, at Odine's famous research facility. 

Nexi was seated on decently comfortable chairs arranged around a low table. She knew immediately she was still junctioned to Squall, comforted by the familiar beating of his heart. On his lap he held Rinoa's hand. She was gripping his tightly, a cold sweat forming in her palm. She looked a little older now, but not aged… matured was probably the best word. She was no longer a teenage girl; she had reached womanhood, but as far as she and Squall could tell she had stayed there, not aging a day since.

This was the reason they had come to O-Lab. Odine, in addition to being a technical genius, was also the foremost expert on sorcery. He sat in front of them, his hair darker than when Nexi had met him at the Pandora. He listened to them with his legs crossed, his hand holding his chin over his outlandish red collar. In this pose, he looked more like a highly reputable psychiatrist than a mad scientist.

"So vhen did you notice this… phenomenon?" Odine asked.

Rinoa smiled weakly at Squall. "Maybe when I saw your first gray hair," she said lovingly. Nexi looked back through Squall's eyes, recognizing every lash of her eyebrows, every line in her irises, knowing through their subtleties the concern and fear she was harboring.

"But it's not just Squall," Rinoa continued. "I see all our friends… Xu, Zell, Selphie… they all look a little older every day that passes. But when I look at myself, I see nothing."

Odine nodded. "Of course. Ze Sorceress power vill prevent you from dying. I have not heard it vould keep you from _aging_ , per se. But I suppose zere iz always a first time." Odine shuffled, switching the leg he had crossed. "All ve must do iz find you a successor."

"Well, that's part of the problem," said Squall. Nexi felt how with experience and maturity, Squall kept himself composed and professional… but she also felt how deep inside, he was at least as scared as Rinoa was. "We haven't found a successor."

Odine raised one of his cocky eyebrows. "None?"

Squall shook his head. "There are plenty of promising spellcasters at the Garden. But none have shown a natural affinity for sorcery. We thought maybe Ellone…"

Odine shook his head. "Ellone iz no Sorceress. She iz unique, ze only child of a Sorceress to be born in modern times. But her power comes only from ze _memory_ of sorcery, not sorcery itself."

Squall and Rinoa looked down, crestfallen. Odine reached across and patted Rinoa's free hand, oddly affectionate compared to what Nexi had first thought of him. "Do not vorry, child. Zere iz not a problem Dr. Odine cannot solve. I vill research this and find ze solution."

The scene faded once again, but this time Nexi emerged in a very familiar place. She was in the anteroom of Balamb Garden's ballroom, where she, Atrop, and Fable had waited to receive their graduation gifts. In fact, it sounded like that very night, the laughter and music outside the room blending together in a sea of mirth.

But in the anteroom the atmosphere was tense. Nexi realized she was not junctioned to Squall this time, but to a woman -- an elegant, sophisticated woman, dressed in a long summer skirt and a cool green shawl. She was inside Ellone.

Across from her, Squall was seated with his elbows on his knees, looking down through his hands as he rubbed them in agitation.

"Sis… this isn't exactly what I wanted to hear…"

Ellone bristled. Nexi sensed that she felt sympathy toward Squall, but also irritation. But she was a lady. She took a deep breath and replied calmly.

"I know that, Squall. But you must. You are her husband, and if you ever loved her, then you would do this for her."

Squall looked up, his face pleading yet defiant, like a child insubordinate to their parent.

"You mean send her to Esthar? Freeze her away and jettison her into space? I can't. I won't."

Ellone watched Squall silently for a moment, her face stern. Only Nexi knew how frustrated she was on the inside, and yet determined for Squall to see the situation her way. This was about more than the love of two people; the fate of the world was at stake.

"Squall," she said slowly, "when Rinoa first became a Sorceress, she knew what was required of her, and she accepted it. Have _you?_ "

Squall didn't answer. He lowered his head, his beautiful, introspective soul seriously considering whether he must relent to Ellone's logic. But suddenly, emergency alarms began to ring across the Garden. The Nexi of this time had discovered Seifer and the Lost Children, catching them in the act of kidnapping Rinoa. Squall looked up at Ellone, his brief expression of surprise souring into black contempt as understanding dawned on him. Ellone stared back, mustering all her will to remain as placid and emotionless as possible. Without another word to her, Squall rose to his feet and briskly left the anteroom, already having a pretty clear idea of the cause for alarm.

Ellone continued staring at the closed door Squall had left by, a tear melting down her cheek. She prayed that his sudden hatred of her would be temporary, that in time he would come to understand.

* * *

The scene receded from Nexi once more into darkness. Only this time, the darkness didn't go away. Nexi tried to feel for a body that she might be junctioned to, but there was none. She wasn't connected to anyone in particular -- only the moment in time.

There was silence… a cold, empty silence. But then there was a rumbling sound, growing louder and louder. A shooting star flashed above her -- not a distant line in a night sky, but a fiery meteor zipping right past her, crackling like a firework and leaving a trail of bright embers. Another just like it past overhead, then a third beneath her, until the whole scene was filled with streaks of white fire. 

The rumbling grew louder until it was a deafening roar; if Nexi's real ears had been there to hear it, they would have started bleeding a long time ago. To one side, Nexi saw a ponderous blue galaxy sailing toward her, a fleet of gaseous nebulae and clusters of young stars. To her other side was a heavy yellow cloud pocked with massive black holes, what was left of the universe swirling around their brilliant accretion discs before being sucked into oblivion. The blue and yellow galaxies rushed toward each other as if charging into battle. They clashed and mingled, the cosmic furnaces of creation and destruction swirling together in wrath.

This was Time Compression -- the beginning, the end, and all in between, forced together into a single moment of time. It hurt Nexi to be here. Ellone's power was meant only to see the past, and here was Nexi in a past future, or a future's past, the paradox racking her brain like a feedback loop. Nexi felt pain from somewhere else too, not in her active mind but deeper, hidden in her subconscious. She realized that this must be hurting Ellone too. But there was something here to see… something so incredibly important that it was worth bearing the pain to witness.

As the cloud of time enveloped her, Nexi suddenly felt small again, surrounded by a silent sea of stars in some black interstellar medium. But then there was a new sound… a ringing sound, like a ship's bell across a vast ocean. As the bell became louder a creature appeared, floating dominantly in the void. It was vaguely humanoid, with long arms and enormous clawed hands. It might have been a woman; at least, the creature had a bosom beneath a feminine steel cuirass and a wide black skirt trailing off into infinity. Protruding from its back was a set of steel wings, its pinions jagged like barbaric swords. Smaller black wings shot upwards from the creature's neck, fanning out above her head like a crown. Her head had no face -- like the head of a porcelain doll with the whole front broken away. Inside the empty skull was a light… a white, brilliant light, so searing and radiant it would have burned Nexi's eyes out of her sockets had she actually been using them to see.

"I am Ultimecia," the creature stated, her voice sounding from all directions like a great chorus. "Time shall compress. All existence... denied."

Nexi felt a force like a vacuum drawing her into Ultimecia. Despite being a disembodied spirit, she was still affected by the magic, helpless to resist, her horror mounting as she was sucked closer and closer to the void along with the rest of the cosmos.

But as Nexi turned away, she saw behind her six young warriors silhouetted against the starlight. One cast a flare to illuminate them -- Quistis, only eighteen years old, a golden whip floating by her side. Irvine stood next to her, loading slugs of pulsating light into the breach of his silver gun. Selphie stretched her arms into the air, separating her jade nunchucks and twirling them around her. There was Zell, his red dueling gloves studded with brilliant amethyst, and Squall, his gunblade rippling with blue flame. Behind all of them floated Rinoa, her white angel wings glowing with holy fire, banishing the darkness before them. These were the Fated Children, destined to destroy Ultimecia and free the universe of Hyne's curse once and for all.

The six charged at once, rushing forward to slay the creature. But Ultimecia was ready with her magic, her unlimited power sourced from all of time. Whole planets obeyed her command, pulling out of their orbits to crush the Fated Children.

No human alone could even have hoped to withstand such a celestial onslaught. But the Children were not powerless. They had their allies: the Guardian Forces. As great meteors bore down on Irvine, two enormous purple demons manifested above him: the Brothers, Sacred and Minotaur. They caught the huge masses, hurling them away as if for sport. Above them flew Selphie, carried by the beautiful and perilous Siren as together they cast healing and protective spells on their comrades. Quistis' eyes flashed as the thunderbird Quezacoatl blessed her with the power of storms, and Zell dashed forward with the burning speed and strength of the hellfires of Ifrit. Rinoa, standing amongst them all, cast her powerful and forbidden magic against the demonic Ultimecia, heavenly rains of meteors falling at her command, fiery green holocausts ignited by her fingertips.

As the battle raged, Nexi found herself drawn to something else, something very specific. She hadn't noticed at first due to her shock and horror, but the bottom half of Ultimecia was not a pair of legs; it was a human woman, hanging upside down, naked as if only just emerged from the womb. Her hands were folded across her chest and her eyes were closed, her long silver hair hanging down. She and Ultimecia's monstrous upper half were fused at the torso, but with each blow from the Fated Children they seemed to peel away from each other a little more.

Nexi became fixated on this woman. She drifted closer, slowly turning upside down until she was oriented with her. At last, face to face with Ultimecia's body-half, Nexi was forced to recognize the truth. Yes, the woman's hair was silver and not black, and yes it was a little difficult to see the face behind her glowing purple tattoos. But looking this closely, her identity was unmistakable; the woman was Rinoa.

Suddenly, there was the terrible sound of a blade being driven into flesh. Rinoa-Ultimecia's eyes shot open wide, her mouth gaping in surprise and pain. There was an ear-splitting scream, but it wasn't from her open mouth; it was coming from above. When Nexi looked up, she saw the beast half of Ultimecia writhing in pain, Squall's searing gunblade thrust deep into her torso. The scream intensified even more as the cosmos collapsed around Nexi, the stars and comets and all of time swirling chaotically around the expiring Sorceress. The light in Ultimecia's face exploded, yet still the scream continued, pulsating, deafening…

* * *

Nexi rocketed up from the daybed, facing the soft glass lamp on the nearby end table. A cold sweat poured down her forehead. It took her a moment to realize that the screaming had been coming from her.

Ellone, seated in her chair, opened her eyes and looked solemnly at Nexi. "So, you see," she said softly, "there's no sense in arguing the point. Rinoa is Ultimecia. Her past is written, and her future… sealed. There's nothing we can do now but prepare for the inevitable."

But Nexi didn't say a word. Her eyes became cold as stone, her jaw locked and rigid. It was an expression every parent dreads to see on a child: the cold expression of hate, the last thread of filial trust snapped.

Nexi jumped onto her feet and bolted for the door. Ellone rose and shouted after her, her voice trembling. "Nexi?! Please!--"

But Nexi was already out of the cabin. Seifer and the others stood up, drawing their weapons, but Nexi already had a spell on her fingertips. The table in the wardroom erupted from the explosion, slamming the Lost Children against the walls. Nexi darted through the middle of the room for the far door, but Raijin was on his feet quickly and managed to block it. He had a heavy staff, the thick banded ends able to crush Nexi's bones in a single swing. But Raijin didn't use the staff. He just stood in front of the door with his muscular arms wide open, ready to grapple Nexi as she charged.

Nexi was a bit surprised, but she wasted no time in taking advantage of Raijin's odd choice of tactic. She feinted to the left but pivoted and spun right, ducking under Raijin's arms and escaping out the door.

Seifer was next to his feet, rising as he shook off the concussive effect of the blast. He hurried to an intercom on the wall. "All units, this is Seifer: Intruder alert. Seal all exits from the MD level and use any means necessary to neutralize."

Fujin went up to Raijin who was rubbing his forehead with embarrassment. "ESCAPED?" her voice boomed.

"Sorry, Fujin," Raijin pleaded. "But I don't hit girls, ya know?" Raijin yelped as Fujin delivered a hard kick to his shins.

Nexi meanwhile was stumbling through the bowels of the tower, her vision blurred and narrowed as she desperately searched for a way out. But then she saw a ladder at the end of a narrow hallway, its rungs leading to a round hatch.

Nexi ran toward it, but cried out and fell as the stinging thongs of a whip curled around her ankle. She twisted around to see Quistis on the other end the whip, her gaze cold and merciless. Nexi shouted in exasperation and let loose a thunderbolt. Quistis easily deflected the spell into the ceiling, but the distraction was enough to lose her grip on Nexi. She was already raising her whip for another lash, but Nexi scrambled up the ladder, the thongs barely licking her toes as they curled harmlessly on the top rung.

Nexi slammed the hatch shut and bolted it down. She looked wildly around for her next move, but she was still inside the tower. Whatever spirit she had remaining sank even lower as she heard the sound of bulkheads slamming shut, her heart pounding with each chance of escape slipping away. How could she possibly get out now?

The answer came from an unexpected source. "Nexi!" Jason shouted. "Over here!" Nexi saw him down another hallway, beckoning wildly to her.

She followed, not wasting any time on whether to trust him. He led her through one more corridor, then down a long flight of stairs. He kicked open a trap door. "This tunnel leads to a ventilation shaft. The fans aren't running now; you'll be able to climb to the surface safely."

Nexi gulped as she looked at him, a violent mix of distrust and gratitude churning in her. "Jason…"

But Jason shook his head. "You don't have to say anything. Just go."

Nexi hesitated for a split second, torn between striking him and thanking him. But time was short, so she did neither. She leapt through the trap door into the tunnel, Jason bolting it behind her. She ran until she came out into the bottom of a deep tube, a thin ladder climbing up through rusted fan blades to the surface.

The ladder was long, but Nexi was up in no time. She kicked her way through some grating and then she was out -- in an open plain under the pre-dawn sky, a hundred yards outside the Garden wall. Nexi kept running, running like a hunted animal. She came upon a strip of woods, her heart ready to burst as she dove into the tall ferns. Still she kept running, stumbling blindly in the dark, scrambling up a sloping hill away from the Garden of Terror.

Nexi tripped on a tree root and fell flat in a clearing. The sudden stop forced her to pay attention to her surroundings. Everything was quiet and peaceful, only the sounds of peepers and the soft ruffling of leaves breaking the warm silence.

Nexi got up to her knees, hoping to restore some of the dignity she expected of herself and of all SeeDs. But the events of the night finally overwhelmed her; she fell into the grass, screaming loudly as tears flooded down her face.

* * *

Nexi woke up lying in the same spot in the grass, the morning dew reflecting cheerful sunlight.

She stood up, frustrated at taking a nap she had never meant to take. But it couldn't be helped, she figured. She had needed it.

Nexi looked around and gathered her bearings in the new daylight. She was on top of a hill, and down either side she could see the forest wasn't very large. It was a small patch of woodland between two mountain cliffs. Down one side of the hill, Nexi could clearly see Galbadia Garden; down the other side, the East Academy train station.

She knew her destination immediately. She'd go to the station and catch the fastest train to Balamb. 

She brushed the grass off her clothes and prepared to jog for the station, but a loud rumbling noise started behind her. As she turned and looked, the whole of Galbadia Garden disappeared in a swirl of dust. When the dust cleared, Nexi let out a gasp. The Garden was no longer rooted in the ground, but floating above it. The gold halo that had been above the Garden was now rotating beneath it -- the main engine powering the Garden's levitation. The rusty tower Nexi had seen in the MD level had now risen to the top, serving as the Garden's mobile command center.

Nexi was awestruck, thinking how jealous Atrop would be when she told him that she saw a mobile Garden. But then she realized, he might see it for himself soon… a host of enemies coming to assail Rinoa. Galbadia Garden hummed with energy as it tilted forward, the halo underneath glowing brighter and increasing its rotation speed, the whole structure gliding forward across the desert.

As the Garden moved east, Nexi turned away and broke into a run toward the train station. She needed to warn Squall as soon as possible.

* * *

In Port-au-Glace, Fable was pulling Atrop's arm with both hands, tugging him along the dock to where the Balamb ferry was waiting.

"Atrop, come on, we have to _go!_ "

Atrop grunted as he tried to free himself from Fable's grasp. "Will you hold it, Fable?! We've gotta check in first! Maybe we can send them a warning message!"

With this logic finally convincing her, Fable let go of Atrop and nearly made him stumble. Without another word they hurried to the telecom station. Atrop went immediately to the comm booth while Fable paid the fee with the clerk.

Atrop typed like a fiend, connecting to the server in record time. There was a message waiting for them, but it wasn't from Squall; it had come from Xu.

As Atrop read the message, his heart nearly stopped. He sat there stunned, rereading the text to make sure he wasn't in a bad dream.

Fable came over and saw his look of shock. "...What is it?"

Atrop gulped, fearing what her reaction might be if he said it out loud. Instead, he simply turned the monitor to her so she could read herself.

Fable read the message, then covered her mouth to stifle a cry, her eyes watering with tears.


	11. X. The Oath

The students of Balamb Garden were relaxing. The summer term had only just started and by custom the coursework was light. Many cadets had taken their studies outside in the late morning sun, lounging against the birch trees just inside the main gate, reading books or doing their work. Or, more often, they were only pretending to do work as they eyed some pretty classmate of theirs, lying on the grass a few feet away from them.

The laughter and play died down as the students felt a light tremor in the ground. It was soft but steady, gradually increasing in intensity. Then there was a shadow, at first only covering one corner of the lawn by the gate, but soon it had crept over the entire front of the campus.

The students stood silently, gazing up at the massive Galbadia Garden arriving just beyond the outer wall. There was a sound like the sharpening of giant metal knives, the great halo of the mobile Garden sucking up rocks and clipping trees as it coasted over the ground.

The Garden stopped its slow advance and came to a rest just outside the main gate, its heavy halo spinning idly as it cushioned the enormous building above it. A megaphone system blasted out the voice of Seifer.

"Students and faculty of Balamb Garden, we wish you no harm. Our demand is simple: Surrender the Sorceress, and we will leave in peace. You have thirty minutes to decide."

* * *

Rinoa was in her bedroom folding one last dress into her travel bag. She had already put on her clothes -- the black cardigan and tank top she had worn to battle in Timber. She wasn't going to wait thirty minutes; she was surrendering, and in her mind that was final. Everyone in the Garden was too precious for her to lose.

As she went into the bathroom to gather her toiletries, she saw herself in the mirror. Squall had helped dry her tears over the past couple of weeks, and maybe that emotion had left its mark as soft purple lines under her eyes. But she still remained beautiful, and that was what really drove her crazy. Her body on the outside made no reflection of how she was feeling on the inside -- stressed, alone, and afraid. Afraid of being left out and shunned, feared by everyone she loved.

Rinoa stared blankly at the handful of bottles and brushes in her hands, then dropped them in the sink. Who was she kidding? Where she was going, she wouldn't need a travel bag. They weren't going to let her be free for long.

As Rinoa walked slowly out of the bathroom, steeling herself to face her fate, there was a knock on the bedroom door. Rinoa sighed. "Don't try to change my mind, Squall. I'm going."

"I know," answered Squall. "There's something you should see before you do."

Rinoa's heart sank. She hadn't realized it, but she wanted Squall to get mad at her, to shout and force her not to go. The last thing she wanted was for him to agree with her.

A tear rolled down her cheek. There was no time to argue with him -- she had to go. "Alright," she said. "Show me."

"Come this way," he said softly.

Squall led her out of their apartments into the elevator and rode it down to the second floor, where a bridge stretched from the elevator pillar over the atrium. But as Rinoa exited the elevator, she almost fell back in surprise. Assembled across the whole atrium below were hundreds of cadets and SeeDs in rank and file. As she emerged on the bridge they snapped to attention in unison, the synchronous stomp of their feet reverberating like a cannon shot. Standing next to her on the bridge were Xu and Zell, saluting.

Squall saw the look on Rinoa's face and smiled. He stepped up to the railing of the bridge and looked down on the cadets.

"Soldiers of Balamb Garden!" he shouted. "We mean to defend Rinoa from the enemy at our gates. But you have a choice! If you do not support us, you are free to leave us now with no dishonor."

Rinoa hardly dared to breathe as she looked across the student body, expecting to see hatred and turned backs. But all were still as statues. Some even risked a glance at her, their faces flush with pride.

Xu stepped up and spoke to her, full of all the confidence and strength that Rinoa knew her for. "The Garden wouldn't be our home without you, Rinoa. You're one of us, and we're not going to let them take you."

Zell came to the railing next to Squall. "Three cheers for Madam Rinoa! Hip hip--"

" _ Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah! _ "

Tears of joy streamed down Rinoa's face, but also of fear -- fear that she wouldn't see many of these faces again, and that she wasn't worthy of their sacrifice. 

Squall turned to her, sensing her discomfort but determined to dispel it. "You see, Rinoa, we're all with you. And we will protect you to the end." He held her arms just beneath her shoulders and rubbed them gently. "You're worth it."

* * *

Irvine Kinneas strode over the last boulder of the rocky climb, his long legs stretching easily as he stepped onto a small plateau. He smoothed his long brown trench coat and dusted off his black cowboy hat, then looked over the scene. The plateau was nestled part way up the face of a rocky hill, accessible from the Fire Cavern away below. It commanded a wide view of the Balamb plains, with an excellent line of sight into the entire Garden campus. There was absolutely no one around -- not even a bird to break the silence. He was over a mile away from the Garden, but the distance wouldn't be a problem for the kind of hardware he brought.

He knelt at the edge of the cliff and opened a slim gray case, pulling out a long steel gun. Its military-grade scope was able to identify blades of grass on the quad lawn, and its rifled barrel could guide a bullet twice as far.

Irvine attached the tripod and lay down flat, ensuring the safety was on before he aimed toward the campus. He was there only for insurance, after all. He looked through the scope just in time to see two groups of people approach opposite sides of the Garden's front gate, their hands open in truce.

Squall reached the meeting point first, standing ten yards from the closed gate. Next to him stood Zell on his left, Rinoa on his right. Behind him were the thousand cadets, fully equipped for battle, organized by experience and specialty. Their ranks filled the entire front campus and the first two levels of the main Garden building. Xu and several junior officers stationed themselves on one of the outer balconies, commanding a bird's eye view of battle conditions.

Squall's face was placid, but a persistent anger simmered inside him; the slightest increase in heat would make him boil. Zell openly showed his agitation, the redness of his face contrasting his bright hair. Rinoa simply stood, waiting for whatever doom the day had in store for her.

Squall saw the Galbadia Garden party approaching and waved to the gatekeeper to admit them. The gates slid open; Seifer entered first, followed closely by Quistis, Raijin, and Fujin. All wore guarded expressions, but they walked confidently, ready for the moment they had been scheming for the past few weeks. Behind them on the floating Garden stood rank upon rank of soldiers -- a mix of SeeDs, students, and Galbadian military regulars.

Seifer stopped a few feet opposite Squall, his newly mended trench coat blowing in the noon breeze. His eyes bored into Squall for several moments as Squall looked back unflinching. Indeed, it seemed like most words were said before a mouth ever opened, their decades-old conflict darting back and forth across their glances.

But eventually, Seifer brought the conversation into the open. His hard face softened slightly as it widened with a cordial smile. "Well, long time no see! Certainly this is a reunion long overdue." Seifer nodded to Zell. "How's it going, Chicken-wuss?"

The Adam's apple in Zell's neck bulged and his face turned purple. But he didn't reply -- he wasn't going to take the bait like he might have in his youth.

Seifer shrugged and turned to Rinoa next. "My lady…" Seifer gave a prominent bow with a sweeping gesture of his hand. "The grace of your presence humbles me."

Rinoa couldn't suppress a sarcastic chuckle. "You're many things, Seifer. Humble's not one of them."

Seifer grinned as he recovered from his bow, not disputing her. "And you, Headmaster!" Seifer said as he brought his attention back to Squall. "Have you come to a decision about our simple demand?"

Squall gave Seifer a dismissive wave. "Do I even need to say it?"

Seifer didn't answer, the smile leaving his face. Quistis knew, from her age-old experience teaching these two, that she had to intervene now if the situation was to remain peaceful. "Squall," she pleaded, "please listen to us. We're just trying to end the final Sorceress War before it starts. Rinoa…" she said, turning to her with soft, consoling eyes, "I know you want to do the right thing. Please, come with us."

Rinoa was silent for a moment. "First…" she said slowly with careful words, "I want to speak privately. To you, Seifer."

Seifer's eyes flashed with brief surprise before his face clouded with suspicion. "...Fine," he answered, working hard to keep the tremor out of his voice.

Squall turned to Rinoa, frowning with concern. "Are you sure? I want you to be safe."

"Don't you worry, Squall," Rinoa said flatly, her eyes never leaving Seifer. "He won't hurt me."

A vein bulged in Seifer's neck, but he didn't reply. Squall looked from Rinoa to Seifer, but knew they were both set on this. "Very well…" he answered. "You may use the guard house."

Without another word, Rinoa turned away and walked toward a small concrete building by the gate. Seifer followed, his eyes seething.

* * *

"Well then,  _ Sorceress _ , what do you want to talk about?"

Rinoa and Seifer were in a low room with concrete walls, nothing much in it except for a few circuit breakers and valves along one side. It was lit only by a single, plain light bulb fixed in the middle of the ceiling.

Rinoa folded her arms across her chest, determined to maintain her composure. "I want an answer. Why are you after me? What have I done to you?"

"What have you done to  _ me?! _ " Seifer huffed. He spotted an old office chair against a wall, spun it around and sat down heavily. He spoke haltingly, almost regretfully. "Do you remember that summer we spent together?"

Rinoa softened, but in a way someone would when broaching a delicate subject. That summer, as he put it, was over twenty years ago. "Yes…" she answered tepidly. 

Seifer sighed. "You were wild, playful, erratic… one moment coming up with crazy schemes against the government, the next tip-toeing on bridge railings with a drink in your hand… a free spirit."

Rinoa gulped. She did remember those times, and remembered them fondly. She was all over the place, angry at her father, always looking for ways to get back at him. But then there was Seifer -- strong and intimidating, and yet like a boy inside… soft, emotional, tender. He had listened to her like no one else would. But that was the past. Why was he mentioning it now?

"I had these wild fantasies about you, where you'd be in trouble and I'd come to rescue you. It's why I told Cid about your resistance group, so you could get help. When I graduated as a SeeD, I thought I could…"

Seifer stopped, and when he spoke next his voice had become bitter. "But I never graduated. I kept screwing up the exams. And then when I failed the last one, my last chance, it was that prick Squall who got assigned to you instead."

Rinoa stayed silent, watching Seifer's every subtlety, trying to guess where this was going. "I was in a dark place, Rinoa, very dark. I was angry at being a failure. I went off to find you, determined to fight for you, but mostly to prove that I was worth a damn.

"And then the Sorceress came. She called me a confused little boy… that pissed me off. But then she made me her Knight. Suddenly I meant something. People feared me… it was my dream. Those fantasies of being the hero were all coming true."

Seifer scowled. "But the Sorceress was full of shit. Yeah, I was her Knight… when I was winning. Every time I messed up she'd call me worthless and rub my face in the dirt. You know what that crap does to someone?" Seifer laughed, but his eyes were filled with pained tears. "It made me want to please her more! I would've run myself through if she asked me to, just to make her happy."

Seifer stopped his laugh, leveling a venomous stare at Rinoa. "She took my life away."

Rinoa didn't know what to say. It felt like any wrong word would make Seifer erupt in violence. "I'm sorry for you… I really am," she said, feeling it the safest remark she could make.

Seifer gave her a sarcastic grin. "That's rich, coming from you."

Rinoa was now completely bewildered. "W-what do you mean?"

"I mean that you would indulge me, love me… only to later be the one to  _ abuse  _ me."

It took Rinoa a moment to fully grasp what Seifer was accusing her of, but when she did she staggered backward in shock. "Me?! I would never!"

Seifer bolted to his feet. "Don't LIE TO ME!" His eyes were smoldering like hot embers. "You know who you are. That power's been inside you for decades now. You're Ultimecia, you bitch! And you're gonna get what you deserve!"

Rinoa shook her head in disbelief. "Seifer! I wouldn't! I-- I  _ loved  _ you!"

"You're a Sorceress. You've  _ never _ loved."

Rinoa glared furiously at Seifer; she had had enough. She stormed up to within a few feet of him and tore open her cardigan, only her thin tank top separating Seifer from her exposed heart. She shouted at him in exasperation, "If I'm Ultimecia, then  _ kill me _ ! Do it now!"

Seifer hesitated. He stared at her open bosom, the sweat glistening from the cleavage of her breasts. He was sweating too, little beads trickling down his forehead. His hand trembled as it hovered over his gunblade handle, tempted to do as she bid and thrust it through her chest.

But he didn't grab the handle; he didn't strike her. He composed himself, his manner calm again, his arms relaxed to his sides. "No," he said with now unwavering conviction. "I'm done taking orders from you. I will kill you, but it will be on the battlefield. With honor." Seifer turned and left the room, leaving Rinoa shaking with fury and hurt.

* * *

When Squall saw Seifer emerge with a black, resolved look, he knew that battle was imminent. As Seifer whistled and waved back Fujin, Raijin and Quistis, Squall and Zell were already turning to shout orders to the cadets. Rinoa came out of the guard house next, a cold, distant look on her face as she walked briskly back to Squall’s line.

As soon as Seifer was reunited with the rest of his force, he drew his gunblade and raised it high in the air. At his summons, a loud revving of small engines filled the air. A calvary of motorcycles flew out from the upper levels of Galbadia Garden, landing hard on the lawn and accelerating quickly through the ranks of Balamb cadets. But Squall had seen this tactic before and had long prepared his students against it. With calm, practiced form, the front line mages used a combination of Water and Quake spells to disrupt and divert the motorcycles' advance.

But Seifer wasn't leaving the calvary to its own devices. He let loose a furious assault of magic and gunfire, personally leading a charge of infantry underneath the fireballs and bullets of his force. He would have made directly for Rinoa, but Squall stood in his path. He shouted as he sprinted forward, his coat tails whirling around him as he leapt to deliver a spinning slice. Squall stood his ground, absorbing the violent edge of Hyperion with the thick steel of his Revolver. He repelled Seifer and responded, his heavy counterslash bearing down toward Seifer's head. Seifer raised his blade just in time to deflect the blow, and the two became locked in a desperate exchange unlike any since the peak of their old rivalry.

The next two heroes to engage were Zell and Raijin. Raijin was twirling his heavy staff, either end of which would cripple Zell if a hit landed. But Zell was experienced avoiding these kinds of blows. He adopted a fluid stance, gracefully evading the pummeling ends of Raijin's staff. Raijin attempted a thrust, but Zell deftly let the staff slide by before bringing his elbow down and splitting it in two. With another twist, he thrust his palm into Raijin's chest, knocking the large man off his feet.

Zell leapt high, rising to drop his heel into Raijin's prone body. But a sudden gust of wind propelled him away, rolling him across the ground. A furious Fujin, the master of wind, stepped up next to Raijin and threw her round bladed chakram at Zell. The air currents she commanded accelerated it to a deadly speed, cutting a line across the ground as it raced toward Zell.

But the pinwheel suddenly stopped, pinioned to the ground by a three-pronged dagger thrown from above. Leaping from a balcony of the Garden came Xu, landing on a cushion of air, two other sai drawn in her hands. She dashed for Fujin, but Fujin pulled another chakram from behind her back and parried the first blow. Xu followed up relentlessly, stabbing and slashing rapidly as the two entered into their dance.

Seifer, meanwhile, was not faring well against Squall. Despite Seifer's daily training regimen in his solitude, Squall had grown with the experiences of captaining the SeeD, as well as fatherhood. Seifer continued to keep his own and parry Squall's blows, but he was tiring and unable to counter as Squall pressed him. Quistis saw all of this and, fearing for Seifer, prepared a Fire spell -- nothing that would severely injure Squall, just something to even the odds. 

But as she cast the spell, a green barrier appeared in its path and reflected the fireball into the sky. Quistis turned and saw none other than Rinoa, walking slowly toward her, purple fire on her fingertips and a dark yellow glow in her eyes. 

Quistis raised her whip and lashed out, but it fell limply against an unseen barrier. She tried to conjure a new spell, but she suddenly felt her throat close. Gasping for breath, she looked to Rinoa in alarm. Rinoa had no love in her gaze, her hand outstretched to suffocate Quistis with her magic. Quistis struggled vainly before being lifted up into the air, unable to control her body, floating like a rag doll above the battlefield.

* * *

Irvine, from his perch on the plateau, saw all the developments of the battle. He saw Quistis through his scope, Seifer's forces too heavily engaged to be of any help to her. Her eyes were rolling, her face turning purple from lack of air.

This was going too far; it was time for him to intervene. He thumbed off the safety, aimed a shot for Rinoa's chest, and fired without hesitation.

* * *

Squall and Seifer's blades were locked, with Seifer desperately trying to stunt Squall's relentless assault. But as they struggled, Squall saw the muzzle flash in the hillside over Seifer's shoulder. From that distance, there would be a split second between the flash and when the bullet would arrive. 

In that second, several things happened. Squall realized instantly what the flash meant, and he perceived the full design of Seifer's plan. His eyes ignited with anger as he drove his blade down, cutting into Seifer's shoulder. Seifer cried out and fell as Squall spun around, seeking out Rinoa like a wild animal. He saw her scant feet away, her hands raised in wrath against Quistis. He sprinted to her and shoved her from behind, desperate to shield her from the danger.

At that moment the bullet struck, piercing Squall's back, shattering his vertebrae and passing through his heart. He felt surprisingly little pain. He fell forward, landing gently it seemed, the world turning white as he drifted away. His thought faded as his soul was enveloped in eternity.

But for Rinoa, her nightmare was just beginning. She turned around just in time to see the bullet pass through Squall. Her jaw dropped in horror as his body fell, her hands grasping vainly to catch him before he hit the ground. But to her it seemed like he kept falling, a black hole opening beneath to devour him. She reached for him but still he kept falling, falling away from her into the gaping abyss. And then it seemed that the ground beneath her knees caved and she fell in too, the sky receding away from her, the darkness consuming her mind. 

Her world was now black. All existence denied.

* * *

Irvine fell back away from the rifle, his eyes wide in disbelief.

"Irv, you son of a bitch," he said to himself. "You told yourself you'd never do it again, and now you've gone and done it."

He sat there for a moment trembling, but soon his cool demeanor cracked and burst like a dam. He hollered in rage, tearing at his hair. He exploded onto his feet, kicking the expensive rifle off the cliff as he stomped around and shouted curses into the air.

No one heard or saw anything of his grief. He was alone, and sharpshooters are loners by nature.

* * *

Seifer stumbled up from the ground, supporting himself on his gunblade. When he was on his feet he checked the laceration in his shoulder. It was bleeding and painful, but it had not struck any vital artery.

He staunched the bleeding with his free hand and looked around the battlefield, trying to fathom what had happened to make things so quiet. Soldiers from both forces stood silent, their weapons limp at their sides. Their faces were solemn, all looking toward Rinoa. She was kneeling before a body, her back toward Seifer. At first he didn't understand, but as he came up behind her, he saw the face of the body: the face of his rival.

Squall lay there, his eyes closed in peace. But around Rinoa was a dark cloud -- a tense, brooding energy polarizing the air. She was exposed and defenseless, her bare neck tempting Seifer to bite it with his blade. But he didn't dare. He knew with absolute certainty that if he tried to slay her now, everyone on the island wouldn't be left alive.

The sky suddenly changed from bright noon to an unnatural twilight. Seifer looked up to see the giant moon eclipse the sun, only a thin segment of the corona left to form a meager crown in the dark sky. The moon, it seemed, wanted to witness the horrific event.

"Back!" Seifer cried. "Everyone stand down and retreat to the Garden!"

The soldiers and students under his command obeyed at once. Seifer lingered a moment longer, staring down at the one he should have called a friend, and the woman he once loved refusing to move from his side.

_ God _ , he thought.  _ What have we done? _

* * *

Nexi slapped her palm into her face, frustrated with the ticketing clerk in the Timber central station. "You're telling me I can't get  _ any _ train to Balamb for a  _ week?! _ "

"I-I'm sorry," the innocent clerk replied. "It's only what I was told."

"By who?"

"T-The station manager. His office is behind you and up the stairs."

Nexi only offered a hard glare for thanks before spinning around to leave the line. But as she placed her foot on the first stair to the manager's office, a man leaning on a nearby wall waved for her attention. He looked up at her, his green eyes twinkling from under his blue watch cap.

"Watts!" she said in a hoarse whisper.

"It's good to see you too, ma'am," he replied quietly. "I couldn't help but notice you look stuck."

Nexi turned red. "Tell me about it. They're not running the trains to Balamb."

"Nope, you're absolutely right." Watts thumbed his watch cap to lift it a little higher on his forehead. "You can thank the Lost Children for that. There's some big hullabaloo going on in Balamb. I heard tell that Galbadia Garden's mobile again, and at their doorstep."

Nexi shuddered. She was needed in Balamb, and right now she was being held back. "Watts… I need to get there. Rinoa is in danger."

Watts nodded. "I understand. You've got a chance if you move now. They've suspended all passenger service to Balamb, but they're still moving freight. If you hop on as the train leaves, no one here'll be able to stop you."

Nexi beamed at him. "Watts…I don't think I'll ever be able to repay you."

Watts winked and smiled at her. "No worries, ma'am. I'm just happy to serve."

Nexi thanked him and ran off to the freight yard. As Watts had said, there was a train on the Balamb-bound track, just starting to roll out of the station. Nexi sprinted to the caboose and caught hold just as the train began to accelerate.

Behind her, she heard frantic whistling. A station guard in the light blue uniform of the Timber militia was running to catch the train. "Stop! No passengers allowed!" But as the train sped up, the man started to lose his breath. His foot caught one of the rail ties and he fell flat on his face.

Nexi grimaced in sympathy for the hurt soldier. "I'm sorry!" she shouted. "It can't be helped!"

The soldier and the station faded away as the train continued picking up speed. Nexi forced open the door of the caboose to find a suitable hiding place. She was almost home.

* * *

Zell was pacing back and forth in front of the doors to the ballroom, worrying like he had never worried before.

They had called for Dr. Kadowaki the moment they saw Squall go down, but it was no use: he had died before he even hit the pavement.

They were all in shock. No one had expected anything like this would happen. But their training would help them handle it, for a time. They brought Squall's body to the ballroom, thinking they could lie him in state and allow the Garden to pay their respects. Xu took command and organized their force while Zell got the rest of their shit together.

The wildcard though was Rinoa. While Squall had lain dead on the field she remained by him, still as a stone. She didn't move, speak, or acknowledge anyone, as if she was comatose. But the moment they touched Squall she burst into a fit of screaming, tearing them away and clinging wildly to him. It took three strong cadets and Zell himself to finally remove her; he still had fresh scars from her nails on his forearms.

Right now, Rinoa was behind the doors, alone in the ballroom with Squall. Zell was standing guard, to be there when Rinoa needed him. She'd eventually come to her senses, and when she did he knew she'd need a friend.

At least, that's what Zell had thought at first. Right now he wasn't so sure. Something felt incredibly wrong. It didn't help that the eclipse was still going on. He didn't consider himself an astronomer, but he was pretty sure eclipses weren't supposed to last hours. And yet there, outside the window down the corridor, was the perpetual twilight proving him otherwise.

He heard footsteps behind him and spun around, hoping that at last Rinoa had emerged, but he only saw Xu coming from the other end of the hallway, her pace slow, the bags under her eyes swollen and purple. For the first time since Zell could recall, she looked tired.

Xu stopped opposite the ballroom door and leaned against the wall, sliding down onto a bench. "God…" she muttered. "Not  _ exactly _ how I planned the day to go." She closed her eyes for a minute, her head tilted against the wall. Zell almost thought she would fall asleep right then and there, but she opened her eyes and looked toward him. "How's it going here?"

Zell shook his head. "Nothing. Not a goddamn thing."

Xu frowned. "I think we better check on her, don't you?"

"Yeah… we better do that."

Xu and Zell approached the ballroom doors and together pushed them open. The room was dark, the only light a sickly brown color coming through the huge domed window at the far end. In the center of it was framed the sliver of the sun's corona, the eclipse still in full totality. Beneath the window lay Squall on a low table, his hands folded across his chest, his gunblade at his side. In front of Squall kneeled Rinoa. She was dressed all in black, her long black hair trailing behind her. Her back was to Zell and Xu so that they couldn't see her face. She was still, as she had been in the first moments after Squall's death. But Zell thought something was different this time. Her body seemed slightly wider, as if she was wearing something black and… fluffy? He couldn't tell in the dim light.

He and Xu looked at each other sadly. They had to try something. He gulped and took a step forward. "...Rinoa?" he said softly.

A slight movement of her head. Zell was surprised; he thought she'd ignore him like she did on the field. "Rinoa… I know there's nothing I can say. But we are here for you… we want to help."

Rinoa's arm moved slowly, the "fluffy" garment ruffling as she slid her hand outwards. As she raised it above her shoulder, Zell gasped. She was wearing rings -- over a dozen of them, several crammed on each finger. They were Guardian Forces, and Rinoa had equipped so many that her hand looked like a jeweled gauntlet.

"Memory…" Rinoa said softly, but with a deepness in her voice that had never been there before. "What a cruel thing it is. It taunts you with images of a past that you can never again touch, moments abandoned by time." Rinoa turned her hand to and fro, letting the dim light reflect on the jewels. "Memory.... I have defeated most of it. I do not remember you, for instance," she said, turning her head slightly toward Zell. "But this man…" Rinoa looked solemnly back at Squall. "I do not remember his name. I do not remember his face. Yet I still remember the pain.

"How?" She asked almost wistfully. "How do I forget the pain of losing you, when all other pains I've already forgotten?" Her hand moved slowly to her chest, her two rings hanging there on her necklace: the wedding band of her mother, and the winged lion of her beloved. 

As she clutched them, the answer seemed to come. "Of course!" she exclaimed quietly. "I have sealed the memories of my mind. But you, my love, live in my heart. Perhaps… if I shape you… you can live there for real, and in doing so conquer the last bastion of my grief."

Zell didn't know what to make of any of this. But he knew he had let it go on way too long. He took a breath and stepped toward Rinoa, meaning to say something that would set her straight. But before he could come any closer, Rinoa threw her hands up in the air. The fluffy garment she wore seemed to spread, and lo! It wasn't clothing at all. Rinoa had spread wings -- thick and majestic, spanning beyond the length of her body, blacker than the blackest night.

A green light pulsed from her fist, breaking through the dull brown light with brilliant flashes. The ringing sound of magic grew louder like the clamoring roll of orchestral cymbals. "In life you loved me. Do so now in death!" And with those words, she cast the light from her hand into Squall's body.

His eyes shot open, his mouth wide as if screaming. But his eyes were glowing green, animated artificially by dark magic, and instead of a scream a noise came out of him like a howling gale. His body seemed to levitate, engulfed now in green fire. His Revolver blade fell from the table and clattered on the floor. Zell and Xu shielded their eyes from a sudden explosion of light, and then… there was silence.

Zell peered slowly over his elbow. The light was dim again, and there stood Rinoa, shrouded in darkness as she had been before. But Squall was gone.

Rinoa turned around at last to face Zell and Xu. But to Zell's dismay she was completely transformed. Her irises were rings of yellow, and glowing on her face were jagged marks like spidery purple veins. She wore a fey smile, her eyes narrowed in wickedness. Zell's jaw dropped in stupefied horror. He knew her face; he knew it from the memories that haunted his lonely nights, flashbacks to the day of fate when he had fought the Sorceress among the stars.  _ No… no, no, no, no _ .

"And now!" Rinoa proclaimed. "I summon you! My servant! My defender!… My  _ Griever _ ."

Rinoa raised her hand, and Zell could clearly see amongst the rings on her fingers that a new one had been added: Squall's precious Griever. A white orb grew hot in her hand and she flung it onto the floor. The orb grew first into a pool, then into a brilliant white circle stretching across the whole dance floor.

An enormous blue paw shot out from the pool, digging its rending claws into the tile of the floor. What followed was a creature Zell had thought was forever in his past: the guardian of Ultimecia, the commander of Death and Doom -- the great winged lion Griever.

Griever emerged from the pool and rose to his full, towering height. He threw his blue head back in a terrific roar, his gray mane whipping about him in the swirl of white magical currents, his red horned crown slicing through the air as he twisted and turned. Then, with a great leap from the floor, he sprung into the air and hovered behind Rinoa, his pale white wings spanning the width of the ballroom.

Rinoa reached high to touch Griever's paw, a smile of peculiar joy on her face. Griever gently took Rinoa into his massive muscular arms; Rinoa snuggled into his mane, carried like a young maiden in the arms of her lover. Griever gave another roar, this one so loud that the domed glass window of the ballroom shattered to pieces. Griever flapped his great wings and leapt into the air, flying out the window like a demon out of Hell.

Zell and Xu ran forward to the exposed balcony. The eclipse finally lifted, the sunlight flooding back over Balamb Garden as the shadow followed Griever eastward toward the ocean.

Despite her shock at what had transpired, Xu wasted no time leaping into action. She dashed to an intercom. "All SeeDs and cadets, resume high alert. Senior officers, report to my office immediately!"

Zell's surprise and fear turned into rage as he hammered his fist against the balcony wall. Seifer, that bastard… he had been right all along. Ultimecia had been living under their noses the whole time. 

And now, she was gone -- at large in an unsuspecting world.


	12. XI. In Memoriam

In the heart of Galbadia, westward beyond the realms of Dollet and Timber, a mountain range split the continent in half. The lands on the eastern side were green and fertile, filled with lush plains and large forests. The western side was more arid -- bare and rocky, the color of brown desert, walled off by tall cliffs and deep gorges. For whatever reason, this barren corner of Galbadia was where the Centra built the first of their colossal mobile shelters -- the foundation on which Galbadia Garden was constructed.

In its earliest years, the Garden was a military academy, producing highly skilled soldiers and technicians to support Galbadia's aggressive war efforts. But a decade after its founding, the school faced a leadership crisis; its headmaster was banished due to his dubious support for Sorceress Edea, and the school was commandeered by Seifer in Edea's hunt for SeeDs. But after that tumultuous period and under the auspicious direction of Quistis, Galbadia Garden recovered its reputation; it renewed its ties to Balamb and Trabia, even establishing its own SeeD program.

But now, the Garden was in the midst of another crisis. In the light from the golden windows of her office, Quistis was in her chair, her eyes closed, her elbows on her desk with both hands propping up her forehead.

A soft ring came from her terminal. A message notification popped up; it was from Seifer -- the third one within the hour. 

Quistis clicked the monitor off. It was about a month ago now, just after the battle for Timber, that he had come to her. He implored her to join him, saying that the world needed them, that Ultimecia had returned and it was up to them to stop her. She didn't have kind words for him then; she told him he was pathetic, that he was obsessed with finding a cause to redeem himself even if he had to make one up. She said his ship had sailed years ago and he had to move on.

But surprisingly, he hadn't gotten angry with her. He took the insults in stride and seated himself on the corner of her desk. "Headmaster," he said softly, "save those words for a bad student who needs them, eh?"

Quistis didn't know how to respond. It was a side of Seifer she had never seen before -- quiet, tender. She wondered then if her first assessment of him had been wrong; maybe he really had changed, and maybe he was sincere about needing her.

When she offered him the chance to convince her, he brought her to Ellone. And that was when she of course learned the truth through Ellone's special power -- Rinoa was Ultimecia, and thanks to the Timber incident her reveal was all but imminent. Quistis was swept away on Seifer's crusade. She found herself attracted to his idealism, the way he led with inspiration and conviction, swaying all of them to share in his dream -- they would all be heroes. Quistis became enamored with him, with his confidence and romantic demeanor. At one point they even became… intimate.

Quistis shook her head violently. That was done now. All that was left of their relationship were the consequences: Squall was dead, and Rinoa… worse than dead. They had brought about exactly what they wanted to stop. 

She looked down at the paper on her desk. It was still warm, fresh off the printer -- her resignation letter. Her signature was already on it; all it needed were those of the school trustees and that would be it. She'd be out of the job, again. A failed instructor, and now a failed headmaster.

There was a knock on the door. "Come in," she said flatly. Nida came through -- her deputy headmaster. He'd been with her 15 whole years. His hair was dark and finely combed, his bangs cropped neatly to his forehead. His facial features were still soft like a boy, despite his being only a year younger than her. He'd become as familiar to Quistis as a brother… all the more reason she would miss this place.

"Nida, I have a document here… I need you to bring it to the board." She slid the resignation letter across to him.

Nida stared at it, not exactly surprised that it was coming, but shaken all the same. He sat down next to the desk and slid the letter back. "Respectfully, headmaster, I can't deliver this. You need to ask someone else."

Quistis stared at him, her cold eyes melting with soft tears. "Nida, I led this Garden to disaster."

Nida shook his head. "No. You were doing what you thought was right, and you did it completely in line with SeeD's principles."

Quistis leaned back in her chair, letting out a pitiful laugh. "Did I really?" The laughter died from her. "Maybe it appeared that way. But if I ask myself honestly..." Quistis trailed into thought as she looked at Nida. The sunlight through the glass behind her left a particular pattern on his face -- the look of two thin lines making an X, crossing the bridge of his nose from his cheeks to his forehead. It reminded her of the twin scars Seifer and Squall shared, superimposed onto Nida's youthful face.

"I don't think, Nida, that I ever really stopped loving him."

Nida looked gently back at Quistis, an odd sense of knowing behind his eyes. "You mean Squall?"

Quistis nodded. "When he brought Rinoa to Timber, I was furious. He had put her in danger, and everyone around her. But it wasn't Rinoa's welfare I was concerned about. It was…" Quistis choked back a wave of emotion. "I always wanted to tell him: 'If you're not going to love me, you better take damn good care of the woman you do love, because otherwise my heartbreak will have no meaning.'"

Quistis huffed, smiling thinly with self-disdain. "But we had it all wrong. Squall  _ was _ taking care of Rinoa. We were the ones who messed it up. So I hope you understand me, Nida, and are willing to take that letter now."

Nida sighed as he looked down at the floor. He understood Quistis more than she knew. Did she still not know that in all these years of loneliness, his willing heart had always been by her side, ready for her to take it? But that's the way things had always been for him -- Nida the wallflower, the man who never stood out. But his story wasn't important right now. Quistis needed help, and he needed to stop her from making a terrible mistake.

He pulled his chair closer, resting his arm on the desk. "We all made this choice, Quistis. We believed just as strongly as you did that containing Ultimecia was the right thing to do. The only person who I've heard ask for your resignation is yourself." Nida, feeling bolder than usual, risked placing his hand on top of hers. She looked down at where they touched, but she didn't flinch away. "None of us want any leader besides you."

Quistis was motionless, staring at Nida's hand. But then she let out a breath. She raised her eyes to meet Nida's, her thin smile showing warmth for the first time that day. "Alright," she said softly. "I'll stay."

* * *

Selphie snuggled herself on the family room couch, wrapping her fluffy white bathrobe tightly around her baby bump. The little one inside had been kicking playfully all day, but was now motionless in tranquil sleep. Selphie put her legs up on an ottoman, her pink-eyed bunny slippers bathed in the warm orange glow of the fire. She pulled over a tray with a giant mug of hot chocolate and sipped, waiting for Irvine to come home.

It had been two nights since she expected him back. For the first time in her life, Selphie was worried about him.

The white rays of headlights flooded the back wall, and she heard the crunching of Irvine's truck on the gravel driveway. A car door opened and slammed shut, and then Irvine came inside, quietly opening and closing the front door.

Selphie didn't move from her couch. "Where've ya been, Irv?"

Irvine turned slowly, his eyes watering in the firelight as he looked despondently at her. He walked over to an armchair and sat heavily down. "I have something to tell you, Seph."

Hell yeah you do, thought Selphie. But she bottled up her irritation; she could see Irvine had screwed himself up to tell her something important. "What is it? What happened?"

Irvine tried to speak a couple of times, but he was filled with so much emotion he had to stop and steady himself. Finally he was composed enough to begin. "I lied to you, Seph. I didn't go to the Dollet expo."

"Well, okay," Selphie chipped. "I figured as much. Where  _ did _ you go?"

"...I was hired for a mission." Selphie's eyes widened ever so slightly, but she kept her peace.

It was a minute before Irvine continued. "Do you remember in Deling City, when we were assigned to kill Edea?"

"Yes…" answered Selphie, wondering where on earth Irvine would take this.

"You, Quistis, and Zell were in the arch, slamming that gate shut on her parade float. I was up in the carousel, ready to fire a bullet right at her. But when I saw her through my scope, I knew she was Matron, the woman who raised us… I choked. I couldn't kill her."

Selphie looked into the fire, remembering back to those times. She remembered how she thought Irvine was a big jerk, how he was a womanizer who'd flirt with any girl who had a pair of legs. But it turned out she had been the shallow one; she had completely forgotten her time in the orphanage with Guardian Force usage, while Irvine had remembered everything, including the little girl whom he had affectionately called "Sephie".

"I couldn't finish the job," Irvine said with sad resignation. "But Squall and Rinoa were there with me. They talked me through it, built up my confidence. 'Think of it as a signal,' Squall said, 'a sign to make our move.' And that's what I did. I followed through… took the shot. It didn't do any good, but I did it."

Selphie shook her head. "I don't get it, Irv. Why are you telling me this?"

Irvine held the arms of his chair and looked slowly up at Selphie, directly into her eyes. "They helped me, Seph," Irvine trembled as he struggled to get the last words out, "and now I've killed them!"

Selphie's mouth gaped open as Irvine continued his tale, explaining his contract with Seifer, how Rinoa suffocated Quistis and how he had taken the shot, only for Squall to bite the bullet and die on the spot.

Selphie sank deeper into the couch, staring into the fire with dismay. She didn't say a word in reply.

Irvine assumed her silence meant the worst. "If you don't want me around anymore… I understand. I can sleep downstairs tonight, and then--"

"Oh shut up, Irv," Selphie cut him off, still looking into the fire but with a familiar face of determination and spunk. Irvine went silent, stunned by her response. She sighed deeply. "How d'you think I feel every goddamn day, lookin' at the ruin of the old Garden, seeing the names of my friends and those young'uns on the tombstones?"

She took her feet off the ottoman and sat up, her hands folded in front of her swollen belly, her face stern but gentle, like she was talking to a good student who had done a bad thing. "You screwed up. You killed our friends, and you lied to me. I ain't saying it doesn't hurt me. It does. But believe me, I know the only way past it is to rebuild -- plank by plank, brick by brick."

Selphie watched Irvine closely, reading the despair in him as he shook his head in disbelief. She got up and walked over to him, sitting herself on his lap, wrapping her arm around his broad shoulders. She touched her finger to his chin and lifted his head, looking into his eyes. "It's so easy to blow things up, to tear them down. But you're a good man, and good men will spend the rest of their lives building those things back up, righting their wrongs. Can I count on you to do that, Irv?"

Irvine looked back at Selphie amazed. He knew she was a special breed of woman, but maybe he hadn't quite realized just how special until now. "...Yeah. You can count on me."

Selphie nodded and smiled, her own eyes wet with tears. "Good. Well, you can start with washin' the kids tomorrow morning. I'll see you in bed." She gave Irvine a soft, tender kiss, then fixed her robe and headed upstairs, where the rest of her family lay asleep.

* * *

Cid Kramer entered Balamb's elevator and pressed the button for the headmaster's office. A wave of nostalgia flooded him as he rose up -- it had been almost twenty years since he had taken this ride. As he ascended, he straightened his red vest and cleaned his glasses, determined to look his best as he stepped back into his old office.

The elevator doors opened to the clear bright room, the sunlight from the tall windows bathing every surface.

Xu stood behind the large mahogany desk, her back toward Cid with her hands clasped behind her. She didn't turn around as Cid entered. Strange, he thought. Maybe she just didn't hear him come in.

"Xu?... I want to congratulate you on your promotion. I wish it were under different circumstances."

Xu's shoulders sagged. "Me too, sir." Without turning, she slid a piece of paper to Cid. It was a resignation letter… drafted for him, to step down from his seat on the board. The signatures of all the trustees were on it, except his.

Cid looked up, surprised. "I… I don't understand."

"Oh come on, Cid!" Xu exclaimed as she spun around, her brow furrowed with irritation. "You didn't train me to be an idiot. Seifer couldn't have done all this by himself. The kidnapping attempt, maybe. But mobilizing an entire country against us, rallying Galbadia Garden, all in a month? He had help… from you. Caraway too, most likely."

Cid had no answer to this, which was more than enough to confirm everything she had accused him of. But confirmation from him was just icing on the cake at this point. She had brought the evidence to the trustees, and they unanimously agreed that Cid had subverted them and recklessly endangered the entire student body.

But after a long moment of silence, Cid did speak up in his own defense. "I had to, Xu. Rinoa is Ultimecia… she always has been, and it was inevitable that she would be. We had to stop her, and Squall wasn't willing."

Xu shook her head. "I'm sorry, Cid, but you're wrong. Rinoa didn't  _ have _ to be Ultimecia. You just made her that way. Your actions turned her into what she is now."

Xu took a deep breath, her airway pained by the exhaustion of the past few days. "Garden has been my whole life. I've trusted you since the very beginning, and I've been your right hand in all things. But now it's time for you to leave." She turned back to the window, unable to look at him anymore.

The room was silent for a minute more. But then Xu heard the letter slide across the desk, the scratching of the pen as Cid scrawled his signature on the last line. "Xu, I just want to let you know," he said as he pushed the letter back, "that I am so proud of all of you."

Xu shuddered as she felt her throat close, desperate to suppress the tears trying to burst forth. "I know, sir. Thank you."

Cid knew there were no more words to be said. He disappeared back into the elevator, never to enter the office of the headmaster again. Only when the door had closed did Xu allow her tears to flow.


	13. XII. The Ascension

After long hours cramped in the caboose of the freight train, where her anxiety had made the time stretch into an eternity, Nexi finally made it to Balamb Garden. But from the moment she entered the gate, she was dismayed by what she saw. The lawn was a complete mess of charred grass, torn earth, and broken weapons. The cadets were going around with rakes and trash bins, silently and solemnly cleaning everything up. Nexi didn't wait there for news but headed straight for the main campus.

Her first thought was to go to the headmaster's office and report to Squall, but as she walked she noticed the damage to the ballroom away on her left. She slowed down as she peered across the grounds toward the shattered window, a creeping feeling telling her she should go there first. 

The ballroom was empty except for a few cadets sweeping the broken glass. But the table where Squall had lain was still there; as Nexi approached she saw his Revolver, lying on the floor where it had fallen.

The gunblade without its owner was enough to clue Nexi into what had happened. She sank to her knees, her tears flowing freely. But she wasn't going to cry out this time. She was a SeeD, she told herself. Squall wouldn't want her to cry out; she had to keep it together. She had to--

"Nexi?"

Nexi looked behind her, hastily wiping away her tears. Xu was standing by the marble stairs, her face colored by sadness and concern.

Nexi gulped. "Squall is dead?"

Xu sighed with pity, having dreaded this moment -- the moment she would have to confront Squall's children. "Yes," was all she could bring herself to say.

"And Rinoa?"

Xu swallowed, struggling to provide the even more tragic answer. But Nexi didn't need to hear Xu say it… she already had a good idea of what had occurred. It didn't make it any easier to bear.

Nexi felt enormous pain in her chest, like a fresh wave of tears was rising through her lungs instead of her eyes. She gasped for air, trying hard to keep her soldier's demeanor. Xu saw all of this and did the last thing Nexi expected; she walked over, got down on her knees, and gave her the warmest hug she had received since Atrop at the Timber railroad junction. Just like then, Nexi found herself listening to Xu -- feeling her heart throb, letting the rhythm calm her. It amazed her that Xu, a woman with a reputation like steel, would offer such tender affection. 

Xu let go after a minute, looking upon Nexi with the deepest sympathy. "Would you like me to remove you from active duty?" she offered gently.

Nexi shook her head violently. "No, please ma'am. I have to do  _ something _ ."

Xu nodded. "Rinoa was last seen heading east over the ocean, toward Esthar. I've already ordered Atrop and Fable there… to see what can be done." Xu placed her hand on Nexi's shoulder. "You're welcome to join them."

Nexi looked one last time at Revolver, letting the image of its broad blade and majestic Griever emblem give her strength. She took a deep breath and nodded.

Xu patted her shoulder, a thin smile of encouragement emerging on her tired face. "Go get her, Nex."

* * *

About a day later, the streamlined Esthar train glided into Seaside Station. Nexi stepped onto the rusty platform and saw none other than Atrop standing a few yards away. Her heart swelled; Atrop looked older and stronger than when she had last seen him, only a couple weeks ago. It was like he had accelerated into manhood out of necessity to deal with the crisis. Only his eyes still seemed young -- tender and sensitive, still in pain from their loss.

Nexi walked briskly toward him, running the last few steps until they were locked in a strong embrace. They didn't say a word to each other until they let go of their hug.

Nexi looked around, surprised to not see her sister. "Where's Fable?"

"In the station," Atrop said. He looked at her imploringly. "She hasn't been doing well, Nex, and I'm out of ideas. Can you take a stab at talking to her, see if you can get her on her feet?"

Nexi was crestfallen. Poor Fable wasn't built for this kind of tragedy, and Nexi wasn't built for helping her. If Atrop couldn't do it, how could she? But trying was better than nothing. "...I'll give it a shot," she finally answered.

Nexi entered the station and found Fable in the waiting area, huddled on an old wooden bench in the corner. She was shivering, rocking herself as she held her knees. Her eyes were splotched red with dark purple bags under them, her cheeks stained with tears.

Nexi almost broke down herself looking at her in such a pathetic state. She walked over, but Fable didn't notice until she was only a foot away.

Nexi sat down. "Hey, sis."

Fable turned toward Nexi, but before she could even look into her eyes she burst into loud, pitiful sobbing, her head falling sideways into Nexi's chest. Nexi held her as she screamed, rocking and consoling her like a baby, her own heart breaking as she listened to her sister's cries. People in the station looked on as they walked past, pausing with expressions of naive pity before moving on with their business.

After several moments, Fable managed to stop crying and say something. She sat up and wiped her nose. "People keep talking to each other, Nexi. Did you see the news? they say. Rinoa this, Rinoa that, Rinoa's bad and they always knew it, and now she's gonna come kill you see I told you." Nexi held Fable's hand; it was trembling and cold with sweat. "What the  _ hell, _ Nexi?!... Why're they just assuming Rinoa's a bad person? She's not! She's good. She's kind. She hugged us and kissed us and sang us goodnight. She let me play in her dressing room and roll around with Angelo and snuggle on her by the fire. She gave us flowers the day she brought us home that very first time. She's…  _ everything! _ " Fable collapsed into more sobbing.

Nexi held her again, swaying gently, feeling Fable's back and chest heave with gasps of air. It couldn't escape Fable's attention that people only saw Ultimecia, not Rinoa. The Lost Children's propaganda machine was certainly to be blamed for that. But Nexi wondered: could the three of them ever reverse that? Was it dangerous to? Rinoa had lost her mind after all -- she  _ was _ Ultimecia now, and threatened them all. People had to prepare themselves accordingly.

But then the wisdom of Edea and Faros came to her. There were always two parts to a Sorceress: the magician, and the woman. Fear the magician, love the woman...

Nexi gently lifted Fable until she could see her face. "People aren't going to understand her the way we do, Fable. Rinoa is our mother, and she was there for us in ways no one can possibly know. There is a badness inside her, but we know it's not really her. That's why it's up to us to help, because we know the difference between the bad and the good."

Fable gulped and stared ahead, her breath and pulse gradually slowing. "...up to us…"

Nexi smiled and rubbed her back. "That’s right. We're her Knights now, and we're gonna take care of her."

The tiniest, thinnest wisp of a smile came through on Fable's face. "Okay."

Nexi took Fable by her hand as they stood, Fable stumbling slightly from hours of sitting. Together, the sisters walked hand in hand from the station, ready to join Atrop and continue their mission.

* * *

In Esthar City, Laguna called a crisis meeting. The SeeDs were escorted through the presidential palace to a special conference room, deep underground in a bunker behind multiple doors and security mechanisms. 

Unlike the splendor of the palace, the bunker was surprisingly dull and bare, made of simple concrete and lit by basic fluorescent ceiling lights. As the SeeDs cleared the last security checkpoint they were welcomed by Laguna himself, still wearing his untucked dress shirt and khakis. His cheeriness was gone, replaced by age and chronic worry. But still he stood tall, composed and presidential, as he invited the SeeDs into the room. Within was a large gray table with several people already seated at it. There was Dr. Odine, still dressed in his purple outfit and outrageous red and white collar; Kiros and Ward in their white robes of state; Argus the cyborg, recently promoted as commander of the army; and Piet, head of aerospace research.

As Atrop and Fable took their seats among Esthar's greatest minds, Laguna tapped Nexi on the shoulder and led her to a corner. "I heard about Ellone," he said quietly. "I'm so sorry about what she did to you. If you want, I can press charges." 

Nexi looked up surprised, but Laguna was sincere, his gentle green eyes watering. This clearly was tearing him up inside; Nexi knew that he loved Ellone more dearly than anyone else.

"Sir," Nexi replied consolingly, "Ellone was only doing what she thought was best. Please do not prosecute her for my sake."

Laguna nodded slightly, his face relaxing with relief. "Alright," he answered softly. "Let's get this show rolling then, shall we?"

Nexi took her seat as Laguna went to a lectern at the head of the table. "Okay gang, here's the situation. Through a series of… unfortunate events... our worst fears have come true. The Sorceress Ultimecia has returned, and the world is again in jeopardy. Dr. Odine is our chief expert on sorcery, so I've asked him to lead the briefing."

Laguna stepped aside as Odine waddled up. The doctor stood on a stool so that he could see over the top of the lectern. 

"Ze fortunate thing about ze situation," Odine began in his bizarre accent, "iz that defeat of ze Sorceress is certain. Allow me to explain." A projection appeared on the wall behind him, showing the cryptic scrawl of Odine's handwritten notes. Barely discernible was a diagram -- a graph of circles with names and dates in them, connected to each other by lines. "Ze enemy, of course, iz not ze Sorceress herself, but ze power of Hyne she inherits. This iz a copy of ze mural in ze Tomb of Vascaroon, vhich shows ze Succession of Witches." Odine slapped a long pointing stick against the projection, making some of the audience jump. "As you can see, Hyne's power has been passed from witch to witch across ze millenia. It has been scattered, divided amongst ze women. But today, ve have reached ze point of crisis -- ze Convergence, vhen all of Hyne's power iz united inside one being."

Odine peered like a hawk at each person in the room, an inquisitive sparkle in his eyes. "Vhat do you think ze name Ultimecia means, hm? All-powerful? Ze biggest bad guy? No. Ze name comes from ze word  _ ultimate _ , vhich simply means 'ze end of a process.' And vhat better process than ze Succession of Witches, eh?!"

"I follow you, Odine," said Kiros. "But what does the Convergence mean for us?"

"Gah, you simple man!" bristled Odine. "Iz it not evident? This vas Hyne's plan all along. Facing defeat against ze humans, he hid his powers in ze human women, vaiting ze long years for his powers to reunite. Now that they are back, he vill restart ze war. And I am sure he iz not happy vith humanity after they rebelled ze first time."

"But how can we hope to slay a villain such as Hyne?" asked Argus.

"Don't you see it yet?" replied Odine. "Ve already  _ have _ ."

Odine clicked the projection to a different page of his notes. This one showed a single line -- a timeline -- marked with labeled ticks of significant events. Connecting some of the ticks were lines with arrows, forming loops in the timeline. "Here is vhere ve are -- ze time of Convergence. Twenty years ago vas ze critical time, Present Zero, from vhen ze Fated Children traveled to ze future to kill Ultimecia. And before that vas Past Zero, vhen Ellone vas born and discovered her power of sending people to ze past.

"Ultimecia in her future decided that she vanted to rule ze world through Time Compression. To do this, she needed to come to Present Zero. But it vas not far back enough for her, so she sought Ellone, who could send her back to Past Zero. Then she could cast ze Time Compression spell and create a world only for her.

"How did she come back to our time in ze first place? He he he," Odine chuckled with glee at his own brilliance. "It vas  _ my  _ invention! I researched Ellone and came up vith ze time travel device: ze Junction Machine Ellone. Vhy did I do this? I vill tell you!

"I puzzled many times about how to defeat ze Great Hyne. He iz immortal. How do you defeat an immortal? Even if ze Sorceress dies, Hyne's power survives and passes on to ze next witch. But just like a human cannot understand ze world of an ant, Hyne cannot understand ze human world: ze world of  _ time _ .

"To Hyne, time means nothing. Vhat does it matter to him if one or ten thousand years pass? And so this iz how I  _ got  _ him. Using ze Juncion Machine Ellone vhen she iz destroyed, Ultimecia vill not pass her powers  _ forward _ in time but  _ back _ , into Edea. Hyne's magic vill be trapped forever in ze time loop, and after ze death of Ultimecia there vill be a future -- one vithout sorcery at all! 

"Think of  _ that, _ vill you!" Odine exclaimed as he poked his tiny brown fingers at Argus and the SeeDs. "You have been fighting ze Sorceress vith your fisticuffs, but it vas  _ I _ who defeated her in ze end, vith  _ science _ !"

Atrop trembled, his face flush with anger. "You mean," he said with his temper rising, "that you  _ knew  _ this would happen to Rinoa? All this time?..." He exploded forward, his armored fist denting the metal tabletop. "Listen to  _ me _ , you little bastard!! She's still our mother, and--"

"Atrop, please," Laguna interrupted with a quiet but stern voice. "I won't argue about Odine being an insensitive jerk, but he's the utmost authority on sorcery. We must hear him out." Atrop took his fist away from the table, the muscles in his neck twitching as he did his best to bottle up. Odine simply shrugged, unphased by the insults hurled his way. 

"What I want to know," Nexi asked slowly, "is  _ why _ . Why does Ultimecia want Time Compression?"

Odine looked at Nexi with a different kind of twinkle in his eyes -- the same odd look of sympathy he had given Rinoa a long time ago, one that Nexi had seen herself via Ellone's gift.

"The answer to that, my child, comes from a different kind of magic -- from  _ love _ .

"Even if ze tragic events at ze Garden didn't occur, Rinoa vould still have to vatch everyone grow old around her, vhile her powers kept her in stasis. Time iz her enemy. She fears it. She  _ hates  _ it. It causes her to lose everything she loves." Odine winked at Nexi. "Does this answer your question?"

"My God…" muttered Atrop. "Time Compression is about Squall… and  _ us _ ."

"Very good, young man. You really do have a brain in your head vhen you vant to use it. She vants to return to a time vhen she still has  _ you _ . Time Compression turns all times into now. Literally, she vants  _ now _ to last  _ forever _ ."

Odine smiled wistfully, like a young child rather than an old man. "But this iz ze source of our great victory. Love iz our ultimate veapon, by vhich ve have defeated Hyne and locked his cruel power in ze past. Just like a fairytale, no? Love  _ does _ conquer all."

Silence filled the room for a moment, the resounding truth of Odine's remark permeating the very air. Argus finally spoke. "I hear you, honorable Doctor, and your words fill me with great hope. But love it seems will take a long time yet to conquer the evil. Between now and then I foresee much darkness. How shall we withstand it, so that at least a few of us may see the dawn?"

"Vell," Odine pondered, "ve have one advantage. Ve have ze Junction Machine Ellone that Ultimecia covets. She vill fight ze whole world, eventually… but it iz likely she vill fight us first."

"But even within Esthar," remarked Kiros, "there are many places she may want to strike. We have a lot of ground to cover…"

Fable spoke up with a warm, glowing smile. "Don't you worry, sir. You have the Knights of Rinoa to help."

Atrop looked with wonder at Fable, smiling at her through tears of joy as he saw she was being herself again. "That’s right. Together, we can do anything."

Nexi felt overwhelmed by love as she looked at her siblings: compassionate, brave… ready to face the worst. She rose and saluted to the room. "We're at your service, gentlemen -- until the world is at peace again."

Laguna smiled, and as he did so, Nexi thought she saw the same expression of pride that she had so often seen in Squall. "Thank you," he said, "all of you." He looked around the room, the adventurous spirit of his youth gushing forth from him once again. "We've got our work cut out for us, that's for sure, so let's get to it!"

* * *

They spent the rest of the meeting laying out their plans. There were three places where they figured Ultimecia would strike: Seaside Station, the likeliest point of entry into Esthar; the Lunatic Pandora, which she had once used as a base while possessing Adel; and the Sorceress Memorial, the location of the cryogenic sealing machine -- the only known technology capable of stopping her.

Only Piet declined to go to any of these locations. "I need to head to the Lunar Gate. There've been reports of anomalies in our satellites… we'll need our network fully operational if we want our forces to have sound geolocation data."

Atrop grew excited, despite the circumstances. "The Lunar Gate! Does that mean you're sending people to space again?"

"Almost," Piet answered with some pride. "The launcher works, but we haven't deployed the net to receive the capsules. We're close though!"

The SeeDs decided to separate, each assigning themselves to one of the priority targets. Atrop went with Argus to fortify Seaside Station and give the rest of them time to prepare. Fable took the Lunatic Pandora, leaving Nexi to cover the Sorceress Memorial.

Nexi was leaning back in the seat of her limo, Kiros' assistant Marcus serving again as her driver. Riding along the featureless landscape, it felt like the first time in a while that she could slow down and reflect on all the information she needed to process. Everything about their plan seemed sound, but something was bothering her… something that didn't feel quite right about their calculations.

Nexi looked out the window, clearing her mind, trying to let that little thing bubble up into her consciousness. As she did, excerpts from  _ Tales of the Great Hyne _ started to flow into her mind.

> So the people rebelled against Hyne. Hyne used powerful magic to fight them. The people couldn't use magic, but they had wisdom.

The people had wisdom… and with wisdom they had developed technology to fight back. Ultimecia wasn't invincible. Seifer had proven that when he subdued Rinoa with the Odine bangle. Ultimecia must know her limits, right? If so, then she has as much to fear as they do… she was vulnerable, only just coming into her power.

> Eventually, Hyne began to lose the war, because there were too many people to fight, and they were getting smarter. Therefore, he decided to make peace with people by offering them half of his body along with his powers.

Ultimecia wasn't coming to fight them. Not yet, anyway. She was on the run. She needed to find a safe place, somewhere she could nurture her strength and power...

> Then, Sage Vascaroon came to the rescue. He appeared before the confused Zebalgas and revealed to them that Hyne's body-half was corrupt and possessed no real power. The body-half was actually Hyne's cast-off skin. The Zebalgas were angered by this truth, and decided to destroy Hyne.

The limo passed beyond a cliff wall and the sky opened up. Nexi saw the moon -- a large, thin crescent, waxing in the early evening twilight.

> The Zebalgas never found Hyne. People began to call him "Hyne the Magician" and continued to hunt him for centuries to come.

Nexi bolted up in her seat. "Marcus! Stop the car!" Marcus did as he was told, bringing the limo to a sudden halt. Nexi flung open the door and sprung out onto the plain. She stood there a moment staring at the moon, her eyes widening from her sudden epiphany.  _ It couldn't be that… could it? _

She hopped back into the car, slamming the door shut. "Take me to the Lunar Gate, Marcus -- like your life depends on it!"

* * *

Arriving at Seaside Station, the engineers under Argus' command quickly deployed robots to install defenses. In under an hour, the plain between the station and the sea was fortified by strong bunkers made of an impervious black metal, complete with vents and windows sealable from the elements in a moment's notice.

Argus and Atrop stood together outside one of the bunkers, scanning the ocean for signs of trouble. They were particularly disturbed by an odd storm front on the horizon -- towering dark clouds, swirling with strong winds in a massive vortex.

Atrop lowered his binoculars, his face grim. Already the winds were gaining strength, whipping his delicate hair. "Do you get hurricanes here often, sir?"

"Nay, son," replied Argus. "Never on this coast." He flipped open a communicator. "Ragnarok, this is Midgar. What do you glean from your scans?"

The sound of jet engines roared overhead as the red dragon-like aircraft flew over their position. "It's no common storm, sir," responded the pilot. "My scans detect magical undercurrents around its core."

Even as the pilot was speaking, the storm filled the horizon and blocked out most of the sky, moving rapidly toward them. "Ware the storm! All units, take shelter!"

Atrop and Argus ducked inside the nearest bunker. When all the soldiers were safely inside, the bunkers sealed themselves and sank halfway into the ground. Argus commanded a single window be left open so that they could see any developments.

Within no time the storm was upon them, tearing up Seaside Station like branches from a dead tree. For a while Atrop could see nothing out the window except for whirling torrents of rain and debris, hearing nothing except the howling gales of the great cyclone. But then a very little bit of the storm seemed to clear away, just enough for him to see blurry shapes across the plain. That's when Atrop thought he saw a ball of air floating above the ground, the debris from the station bouncing off as it whipped by. Inside the ball, Atrop saw a figure… the silhouette of a woman, a pair of black wings flapping gently to suspend her inside the powerful vortex.

But the image was fleeting, the storm closing in again and blocking all visuals. The winds returned even stronger, screaming so loudly that Atrop had to cover his ears even in the relative safety of the bunker.

But then the storm calmed and receded, debris falling from the sky as the winds died out. After the danger passed, Argus gave the all clear and he and Atrop hurried out of the bunker. Argus' mouth dropped open in a stupor as the storm moved over the Great Salt Lake, closing in on the city. He shouted to one of his men. "Inform the President immediately! The city must evacuate!"

"Sir, look!" another soldier cried. 

Argus saw the storm suddenly collapse, as if its energy was being pulled tight around the ball of air Atrop had briefly seen. The dark orb lifted itself  _ above _ the mirage wall, sparing the city from destruction as it passed high over the buildings below.

Argus narrowed his eyes, suspicious of the sudden change. "Ragnarok, what is the projected path of the storm?"

The communicator crackled as the pilot switched it on to respond. "The storm is heading toward the Lunar Gate, sir."

Atrop looked alarmingly at Argus. But Argus simply stared after the retreating mass, his face rigid as steel. "Ragnarok, return to Midgar for extraction... we require transport."

* * *

All was black, and all was silent. Nexi was utterly disoriented, not understanding where she was. But gradually she began to perceive something -- a presence that wasn't her own, buried deep within her subconscious.

It dawned on Nexi that she remembered this feeling, having experienced it once before. Ellone had connected to her again, bringing her back into the dream world -- the world of the past.

Nexi felt the presence within her throb, as if a more active thought was trying to bubble up into her higher consciousness. When Nexi allowed it through, the thought became like words:  _ I'm so sorry, Nexi _ .

The hurt and betrayal Nexi had felt in Galbadia Garden flooded back to her. She wasn't ready to forgive Ellone; she didn't think she'd ever forgive her. She tried to send a thought back down the same stream of consciousness:  _ I don't want to be here. Take me back. _

But instead of returning, Nexi felt something else happen. A light from an unknown source began to dimly shine, gently radiating down on an individual a few feet away from her. He was a young, handsome man with wavy dark brown hair, dressed all in black with a fur-lined coat. His face was marked with a scar across the bridge of his nose, and around his neck hung a silver emblem of a winged lion.

Nexi found herself joined to his thoughts. Though he didn't show it on his face, he was scared. He was supposed to be heading home, hand in hand with his friends as they journeyed through time, returning from their victory against the Sorceress of the future. But he was lost; he couldn't find his friends. He was alone, and for the first time in a long while, being alone scared him.

The young Squall stood motionless, unsure of what to do. Nexi felt a wave of longing grip her. She desired so much to touch him once more, knowing that she would never be able to do so again in waking life. But Squall seemed to sense her emotion. He paused, his fear stopped in its tracks as he wondered where such a strong feeling might have come from.

Nexi felt his reaction and was equally amazed. Maybe she could communicate with him? She decided to try, projecting her thoughts onto his.  _ Where are you? _

Squall felt the thought, his eyes opening briefly in surprise at the clarity of it.  _ I'm… not sure _ . He replied.

_ What are you trying to do? _ Nexi thought.

_ I… need to go home _ , Squall replied.  _ But there's something I need to do first. Someone I need to see _ . 

With that remark, another shape appeared, running out of the darkness. But this shape was smaller… a little boy, no older than five. He too had dark brown hair, and he too was alone. But so far, the boy seemed determined to do something about his loneliness. He ran past Squall, not noticing him.

"Squall! Where are you going?!" called a voice -- a woman's voice like a song, sweet and comforting.

The young boy stopped, placing his hands firmly on his waist. "I'm gonna find sis!" he shouted, before running off again into the darkness. But as he disappeared behind them, the darkness itself seemed to fade to light. Nexi found they were on a stone path, surrounded by flowers and crumbling stone ruins. Directly in front of them was a building that looked like an old, ruined temple, a triangular roof supported by tall gray columns.

Nexi recognized the place from her last journey with Ellone, when she had witnessed Rinoa and Squall's tryst in the flower field. They were at Edea's orphanage.

But  _ when _ were they there? The buildings looked much less ruined than in her first visit... more columns were intact, the roof had not caved, and the door was solid and not rotted. On one side of the building hung a clothesline, several little shirts and pants strung in a row.

"Squall!" came the woman's voice again. The door to the orphanage flew open, and Nexi saw a young Edea run out into the sunlight, chasing after the boy. Nexi felt humbled by how beautiful Edea was in her youth -- black hair like a tranquil night, green eyes like the morning dew of meadowing grass. Her simple gray dress flowed behind her as she ran, desperate to catch the boy before he got too far away from home.

But as she was about to run past she stopped, perceiving the elder Squall. "Excuse me," Edea said. "Have you seen a little boy?"

"You don't have to worry," answered Squall. "The boy won't go anywhere."

Edea sighed. "I think so too, poor thing…"

Nexi was startled by the emotions Squall gave. Was he feeling ashamed? Nexi felt the swirl of memory inside Squall -- all the years of trauma that would follow that little boy as he grew older, crippled by feelings of loss and abandonment... until Rinoa would come into his life.

Suddenly, a purple fire flared in front of them. A being seemed to take shape within its flames, the light of the fire so strong that at first it couldn't be recognized. But as the fire died, the being became clear. It was a woman, and she had silver hair curved like the horns of a great beast, wings black as midnight, and a long robe the color of wine. Though she had once been radiant and beautiful, she was now far from her magnificent self; her robe was rent and tattered, her wings frayed and ruffled, and she was walking slowly, deliriously.

By this point, Nexi could pick this woman out of a line-up. She was Ultimecia… Rinoa. But she had been reduced to a shell of her former self -- all that was left after her defeat at the hands of the Fated Children. 

Nexi felt Squall start with fear. "...You're alive?!" he exclaimed. He drew his gunblade, ready to deliver a final blow.

Edea placed a soft hand on Squall's shoulder. "It's okay," she said. "There is no more need to fight." Edea then walked toward Ultimecia, her arms raised as if to embrace her.

At this moment something strange happened to Nexi. She felt herself become disconnected from Squall, drifting freely away from him. But then to her surprise she was connected again, this time to Ultimecia. Nexi was astounded by the whirlwind of feelings inside Ultimecia, even in her weakened state. It was like hundreds of beings were in her at once, expressing every emotion they had ever experienced -- fear, lust, hunger, anger, rage -- all the emotions harvested by Hyne as his power was handed from woman to woman. But underneath it all, Ultimecia was feeling something else. Nexi recognized it as the same feeling she had seen in Fable, huddled alone on the waiting area bench in Seaside Station. There was a sadness inside Ultimecia -- a grief so overwhelming it would cripple her if ever she dwelt on it.

But even as Nexi processed the flood of Ultimecia's thoughts, it stopped -- as suddenly as if someone had crimped a hose of running water. Ultimecia looked up slowly and gazed to where Nexi's disembodied spirit was hovering. Her pale eyes drifted in and out of focus, sometimes looking directly into Nexi's own gaze. Nexi was astounded; Squall had been able to feel her, but Ultimecia could actually  _ see _ her. 

Ultimecia did not speak as she continued to study Nexi, searching her fractured mind for recognition. But something eventually did click. She still didn't perceive Nexi as she should, as her own daughter, but she recognized something familiar. Ultimecia didn't recall a name, but she recalled a feeling. Whoever Nexi was, Ultimecia deemed, she felt Nexi could be a confidant… someone she could trust.

She held out a long, thin hand toward Nexi. "Help me," was all she could say.

For Nexi, it was all she needed to hear. She moved forward and took Ultimecia's hand, surprised to see her own hand had taken on a phantasmic shape, glowing white as if it was made of painted glass. Although Ultimecia's hand looked wrinkled and frail, her grip on Nexi's was strong and sure. Together they walked forward, step by step, toward Edea's open arms.

As they approached Edea, an energy began to draw out of Ultimecia -- white wisps, like drifts of snow. Nexi glanced at Edea and the teenage Squall, but neither of them seemed to notice this change. The wisps grew and coalesced until they formed a fluttering white mane, transforming into the head of a majestic white lion. But even as the lion shape emerged, it twisted again, drawing more and more of itself out of Ultimecia until it took on the form… of a man.

Nexi couldn't see the man's face; his entire appearance was so bright it was impossible to make out many details. But Ultimecia was awestruck and dumbfounded. Her heart fluttered as she stared at the apparition, eager to understand why she suddenly felt so much excitement. "I… can't… disappear yet," she mouthed, desperate to remain alive a moment longer, on the cusp of fathoming who she was seeing.

As Ultimecia stepped closer however, a purple energy exploded out of her; the transfer of the Sorceress power had begun. Ultimecia's head rolled back as she collapsed to her knees, the last of her life force draining as her powers were absorbed into Edea. When all power left her, she fell forward, dissolving into white dust.

That was, at least, what Edea and Squall witnessed. But Nexi saw another thing happen. Yes Ultimecia collapsed, and yes her body disappeared. But in its place rose a new form -- another blinding white apparition, but this time in the shape of a woman. She also was too bright for Nexi to make out any details, but she could at least see the silhouette of long hair, the curved shapeliness of her body. The apparition made a gesture like she was grabbing something on her chest, but then she looked up, perceiving the man opposite to her. There was a flash of recognition, and the two swiftly embraced each other. As the light of their bodies merged, the brightness began to grow, blinding out almost everything from Nexi's point of view. As they moved to touch what would be their lips, their light overwhelmed every sense; the scene of the orphanage faded away, disappearing into the pure whiteness. 

Whatever these spirits were doing, wherever they were going, it was all in a place and time Nexi was not permitted to see. Not yet, anyway.

* * *

Nexi opened her eyes -- her real eyes. She was on her back, sprawled in a pile of rubble. She couldn't move, the pains in her body too much to bear. She heard a soft sound… like windchimes, and tall grass waving in a stiff breeze. She focused a little more and saw that the sound was coming from Atrop's gun-arm, the green lights of paramagic fluttering around him as he knelt next to her. 

The sound ended and a small green orb of light flashed above her, sinking into her chest. She instantly felt relief, like she was being laid on a bed of feathers. Her pain dissipated and she breathed a sigh of content.

The concern on Atrop's face melted into a soft smile as he saw Nexi recover. He took her hand and helped her sit up, shifting rubble out of the way to lean her against a wall. Nexi winced as he moved her, some of the sprains still not healed in her legs.

"I'm glad you're alright, Nex," said Atrop.

Nexi smiled at him and gave his hand a squeeze. As she sat up, she was able to look around more and assess her surroundings. She was in the lobby of the Lunar Gate, where travelers to the space station once waited to check in for their launch, much like in the lobby of a train station. The moment she had arrived at the Gate, she had looked back eastward toward the city, and saw the approaching storm…

Nexi saw Fable in another corner of the ruined facility, casting a healing spell on a tall man in a white coat. Nexi's heart beat fast as she realized the injured man was Piet. But thanks to Fable he was able to recover, struggling slowly to his feet.

Atrop looked down to Nexi. "Did you see her?" he asked.

Nexi nodded. "Yes. But it wasn't her anymore. Everything Rinoa is gone." Or almost gone, Nexi added privately, reflecting on the vision Ellone had shown her.

Piet limped over to one of the few remaining control consoles. His face quickly changed from worry to despair.

"She destroyed it," he groaned. "She launched herself and fused the whole system on her way out... It'll take years for us to follow her."

Nexi looked beyond Piet through a gaping hole in the wall. Out there was the long sloping ramp of the Lunar Gate, built to launch single-man capsules into space. But parts of it had warped and crumbled, rendering the whole launcher inoperable. Nestled in the sky above was the moon, glowing gently in the last rays of twilight.

Atrop thought desperately, considering any way they could follow Rinoa. "What about the Ragnarok?"

Nexi shook her head. "We could, but it'd be too dangerous. If she's headed to where I think she is… then space travel right now is suicide."

Atrop sighed heavily. "Then it's over."

"No," Nexi answered. "It's just beginning." She stared ahead for a moment, thinking hard. "Get Uncle Laguna. Tell him we need to gather all the world leaders; every nation, every group with the will to fight. General Caraway, the Gardens… Seifer too, along with the other Lost Children. We need to put aside our differences and prepare for what's to come."

* * *

High above the earth, in the cold vacuum of space, all was silent -- the earth, the moon, and an ocean of twinkling stars.

On the moon, in a newly formed crater among the wreckage of a crashed capsule, there lay a naked woman. Her skin was coated with ash, her hair bleached silvery gray by the fire. She lay there, staring up with her golden eyes, her mind floating whimsically in the starry expanse. She had once been among those stars, drifting away… though her body had been much more fragile then -- sealed in an exosuit, gasping for air as the oxygen meter had ticked down her doom. Now though, she was bothered by nothing, her exposed body unaffected by the extreme environment. 

She lay for hours, having no desire to do anything other than watch the universe age. But soon she felt an impulse, something calling her -- beneath her, around her, within her. There were no words in the call, but its intent was clear: she was being summoned.

The woman rose and turned away from the sun, walking toward the distant gray mountains on the edge of night. The occasional monster would mark her progress, some scaly worm or blue dragon with claws of steel, watching her through eyes of crystal. But most simply gave way to her, sensing her immense strength and power.

Whether days or weeks or months passed, none were there to tell. The woman herself certainly gave no heed to the length of the journey. She just kept walking, her pace never slowing, her path never straying. But eventually she came to the cusp of lunar twilight, and as she climbed over the last hill, passing beyond the realm of daylight, a ghastly sight met her eyes.

On the dark side of the moon, in the valley of a great crater below, the ground was glowing green -- a sick, luminescent green, rippling across the crater like a phantom sea. Erected throughout were tall, skeletal buildings, their gray facades reflecting the sickly light, their doors and windows black. Among the courtyards and streets went a citizenry of beasts and evil spirits, their cries and growls echoing throughout the realm.

The woman felt heavy footsteps reverberating through her feet. Below, a delegation of monsters climbed to meet her. They were led by a large, four legged beast, its feet clawed, its skin red and thick like leather. From its wide muscular back grew blue and gold wings, reflecting dimly the light of the ground. Its head was that of a man -- his beard golden, his forehead fused with his lofty black crown.

The great Sphinxara approached and bowed low, prostrating itself at the woman's feet. "WELCOME, FAVORITE DAUGHTER OF HYNE. YOUR DWELLING IS PREPARED."

As the monster led the woman through the streets of the city, fell creatures gathered and cried out their praise. The smaller ones -- imps, creeps, and buels -- fawned over the woman as she walked past, pawing at her feet and hair with their withered, shadowy hands. The larger monsters reared on their haunches, stomping their hooves and flapping their wings, screeching and roaring in the lunar night. 

Coming onto a main boulevard, around the bend of a mountain arm on the edge of the crater, the dwelling came into view: a huge, foreboding castle, towering up into the starry sky. It loomed commandingly over the crater, its stone walls impenetrable, its ramparts and battlements indomitable. What was more, the castle was not fixed to the ground; it floated above it, anchored in place by several enormous chains, each link thicker than the width of a man.

A great black drawbridge was lowered to welcome the queen. The woman walked regally across, up the dark, wide steps to the grand entrance of her abode. She entered the main hall, lit by hundreds of brass candelabras, with red carpeted floors and wooden staircases with carved railings, leading to the myriad halls and courts of the infernal palace. 

The woman was guided to her dressing room -- fit for an empress, with golden floor-to-ceiling mirrors and vanities stained with blood red finishes. Her attendants, bronze-skinned succubi with pearly fangs and venomous eyes, brought forth her apparel: a magnificent red robe, trailing to the ground, trimmed in thick black fur. Her hands they dressed in long purple gloves, her fingers elongated and sharpened like knives. The woman declined any footwear; with a wave of her hand, her feet transformed into lion paws with leathery soles and coats of gray fur.

Her silver hair the attendants brushed and styled, kneading in a substance that held to whatever shape the woman desired. They combed the hair into two great horns, jutting out from either side of her forehead. Other hair they let fall, two thin bangs flowing gracefully down to her waist. 

When the woman was ready, she walked along a dark corridor to an exterior balcony. The roar of her subjects below was deafening as she emerged: Queen of the Beasts, Herald of Hyne's Dominion -- the Sorceress Ultimecia. She held her arms out as if to embrace her subjects, and as she did so her wide black wings unfurled -- the Angel of Darkness coming into her own.

The Sphinxara bowed low. "YOUR FORCES AWAIT YOUR COMMAND. THE CONQUEST SHALL BEGIN... AT YOUR PLEASURE."

More cries of jubilation from the howling host. If any were able to see the scene from above, the ghastly crater may have seemed like the eye of a giant skull. As the moon rumbled and quaked from the thrashing and stomping of the beasts, the skull shifted its colossal mouth into a grimace, grinning evilly out into the void of space.

* * *

Far in the south of the world, on the outermost tip of the desolate Centra continent, there stood the ruin of a stone lighthouse. A spiraling ramp led down from its door to a rocky path, leading to what was left of a stone temple -- the building that had once been Edea's orphanage. Another path led from the orphanage to an endless field of flowers. But before the field began there was a small cliff, overlooking a soft sandy beach. Here on this cliff, everyone was gathered in a sort of memorial service. 

It was now several months since the events at the Lunar Gate. The forces of the world had agreed to meet, holding their conference in Balamb to discuss how they would face the threat of Ultimecia. A pivotal figure at the conference was none other than Nexi, who impressed the attendees with her wisdom -- not only about Ultimecia, but in how well she understood each of their own affairs. Nexi was accordingly given the SeeD rank 'A', the highest achievable by a field officer, and designated special commander of Balamb's anti-sorcery task force.

Nexi was there now at the cliffside, in full SeeD uniform, looking across at all the people present. Atrop and Fable were of course there, also in uniform. Fable had her arm hooked with Beau Kinneas, who stood next to his father and siblings. Irvine had his hand on Selphie's shoulder, looking on lovingly as she cradled their infant daughter Joy. Further along was the delegation from Esthar: Laguna, Kiros, Ward, Dr. Odine… and Ellone. Ellone was staring vacantly, a look of reflection and remorse etched on her features, but she snapped out of her reverie and smiled as Laguna nudged her playfully. There were the other SeeDs -- Zell, Xu, Quistis, and Nida, their chief officers standing behind them. Even Jason was there among the Galbadian SeeDs. Nexi hadn't reconciled with him -- she wasn't sure she ever fully would, even though they were bound to work together in the future. But she hadn't forgotten how he helped her escape Galbadia Garden; like in the forests of Timber, she was willing to keep the door open.

Next to the SeeDs, Fujin and Raijin were whispering to Seifer, encouraging him to step forward. He struggled to move at first, his face red with embarrassment, but eventually he approached Nexi.

"I know I can't repair all the damage I've done," he said quietly, "...but I want to help, if I can."

Nexi worked hard to cover her surprise, imagining how difficult it must be for a man like Seifer to adopt this level of humility, let alone submit to taking orders from a kid. "You are welcome to," she replied. "Report to the Garden within 48 hours. We'll discuss your assignments then."

Seifer nodded, his face hard as stone. He turned slowly away to rejoin Fujin and Raijin, who patted him affectionately on the back. 

Nexi took a breath, facing back to the crowd. "Today we close a circle, ensuring our victory in times to come." Nexi looked down at the concrete vault in front of her. Inside was their key to success -- the Junction Machine Ellone. They had brought it here, to the orphanage, where Rinoa and Squall had once promised to meet if ever they were apart. They thought this was the most likely place where Ultimecia would find it.

"We also say goodbye to two people we love." Everyone bowed their heads. Fable's tears flowed silently, trickling onto Beau's arm as he gave her hand a comforting squeeze.

"Love is a powerful thing," Nexi remarked. "Love is what held Rinoa together, what caused her fall as she was robbed of it. Love is why we will be victorious, as it is Ultimecia's one weakness by which she will open herself to defeat.

"Our mission from this day forward is not to fight the Sorceress, but to survive her -- to come through so that our children may inherit the future that awaits beyond the darkness." Nexi glanced down at Selphie and Irvine's little ones -- Abby and Fan, each holding a hand of their brother Ames to keep him from running away. "But to do that, we will need love in all its forms. Loyalty. Selflessness. Trust in one another. We will come through this by carrying each other through; alone, we die.

"Closing this vault seals one circle of fate. Now we must put all our effort into shaping another -- passing through the night to see the dawn."

As Nexi concluded her speech, Atrop and Beau approached. They lifted a huge concrete dome, sliding it into place over the vault. On its surface was carved the Griever emblem -- a clue for Ultimecia to follow. In front of the dome was a box with a stone lid in which they laid Rinoa's Angel Wing crossbow, and the gunblade Revolver. Before closing the lid, Nexi knelt and attached something to the hilt of Revolver -- her trinity pendant, the symbol of unity Squall had made for her. Maybe, she hoped, Rinoa would recognize it, remembering the three who still loved her.

The lid was closed, the ceremony ended. Everyone turned to walk away, occasionally stopping to chat with a familiar face.

Atrop stood, dusting off his hands. "Good job, Nex. I think they would be proud of you."

Nexi smiled, giving Atrop a wink. "I think they would be proud of all of us."

Thunder rumbled over the ocean. Out on the horizon, lightning danced in the dark clouds of an approaching storm.

Atrop's face grew serious. "Do you think she'll be here soon?"

Nexi nodded. "It could be any moment now. We need to be vigilant."

Nexi lingered by the cliff side as Atrop went to his duties. Looking up beyond the storm, she saw the moon -- a quarter full now, its glowing rays cutting through the clouds and illuminating the darkened sea.

Nexi drew her gunblade and saluted.  _ Good bye... Mother, Father.. _ .  _ until the day of fate. _


	14. Epilogue: Fragments of Memories

On an ocean cliff by a stone ruin, by the remains of a lighthouse that now ceased to even look like one, a vault lay smashed open, its contents long gone. Strewn around the cliff were the bodies of SeeDs: brave soldiers with valiant faces, killed in a battle that had ended scarcely an hour before.

Huge iron chains were drilled deep into the ground, and at the other end of them, high in the stormy night sky above, floated Ultimecia's dreaded castle. Its ramparts glowed silver in the moonlight, its black windows occasionally lit by flickers of lightning.

The Sorceress Ultimecia, from the stone balcony of the highest tower, looked down on the battlefield with disdain. Curse all SeeDs, she thought. Swarming like locusts across generations, the vain crusaders breaking like water against the stone might of her army. This time they had managed to gain a tiny bit of ground, eluding her vanguard and defeating the force guarding her entrance. But of course that effort also came to nothing as the last SeeD fell while slaying the last of her guard.

Why couldn't they just  _ submit? _ she wondered incredulously, seething with red anger as she crushed the balcony railing in her iron grip. Hyne the Master only wanted them in their natural state -- subservient and loyal to his will. She herself would go to any length to assert that dominance.

Soon though, her victory would be complete. The Time Compression spell had already begun, which would force all the humans into their place. They would be where they belonged, where they were all meant to be, and she would once again be among them… forever. 

Down below on the cliff, a magical disturbance began to manifest. A small pocket of air the size of a doorway began to twist, the image of the ground behind it churning into a swirl. And then there was a sudden change -- a ripple effect -- as six humans stepped through the mysterious portal and alighted on the cliff.

Ultimecia stared down at these humans with a suspicious glare. Who were these insolent warriors who dared to challenge her? They seemed like children, only just coming into adulthood, and yet their faces were grim and fearless as they looked back resolutely on the dark castle.

As Ultimecia scanned them, she became fixated on one warrior in particular -- a young, valiant man, clad in black raiment lined with white fur and brown belts, a broad sword with a curved handle at his waist. From his neck hung a chain with a silver lion --  _ her _ lion, the stalwart Griever.

Ultimecia stood motionless, her yellow eyes frozen as she tried to understand the maelstrom of feelings inside her. Most of her psyche reacted with a fearful rage, urging her to obliterate the warriors on the spot. But something small, a little voice she kept chained within the dungeons of her mind, reacted with… joy?

The little voice exerted a desperate strength, compelling Ultimecia to move her lips, to utter words in a language she seldom used anymore. She spoke in a guttural, halting manner, her vocal cords straining to form the syllables: 

"...Iz… okei… it iz you… ...no von else…"

Ultimecia turned slowly away, walking back to her chambers. She felt giddy, like a bride on the morning of her wedding day, only the celebration was her funeral, and her groom was the welcoming arms of Death itself.

**Author's Note:**

> DEDICATIONS:
> 
> To my Mom. To my wife and sons.
> 
> To the fandom groups that welcomed me into their fold, Garden BBS and the Island Closest to Hell.
> 
> To all the women in the world -- mothers, sisters, daughters, wives. It is YOUR love that lights a dark world, YOUR magic that makes fantasy come to life.


End file.
